GREAT Bedwyn parents Nick and Lissa Gibbins have braved the murky waters of River Dart in Devon and raised a whopping £22,000 in memory of their daughter Maisie.
Joined by 14 of their friends, they swam more than six miles from Totnes to Dittisham in the chilly water with 800 other people earlier this month, dressed head-to-toe in wetsuits.
The group, who live in Marlborough and the surrounding villages, have spent the last six months training at Marlborough Leisure Centre, Marlborough College and wherever else they could, with 12-year-old Maisie being the focus of their motivation.
The student of St John’s in Marlborough, who was passionate about sport, tragically died while on a family holiday in Cornwall in November 2013 after suffering from a brain aneurysm.
Her family set up the Maisie Gibbins Star Tribute Fund and have been raising money ever since to fund a new brainwave monitor for the paediatric intensive care unit at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, where Maisie was cared for.
“It was of course, very challenging,” said Mrs Gibbins, who is mum to Maisie’s identical twin Isla and younger brothers George and Felix.
“We swam with many others, in murky waters, with steamed up goggles but because we had trained well it was wonderful. We are all converts to wild swimming, well nearly all of us. A couple of us have decided never to swim again.
“Ultimately, and most importantly, we have raised £22,000 for the Maisie Gibbins Star Tribute Fund which is transferring the money to the paediatric intensive care unit at the Bristol Children’s Hospital.
“They will use it to buy a new brainwave monitor for the Unit – a wonderful piece of equipment to measure the brain waves of children who have suffered damage to their brain, either through an accident or as a result of meningitis or other brain-affecting illness.
“Many children will benefit from this new bit of kit and that brings us great joy and comfort that in Maisie’s memory we have all been able to raise such a huge amount of money for the hospital.
“We as a team are so grateful to all our friends, families and supporters who have been so generous in their support of this swim.”
To donate go to: www.justgiving.com/dartswimmers
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