A determined Tavistock swimmer has conquered the pool and the mental and physical challenges to complete a three-mile charity challenge.

Carol Gander, 68, a self-taught swimmer, has raised more than £1,000 in sponsorship by finishing five km or 100 lengths of Mount Kelly College in Tavistock.

The former nurse was supported on her Swimathon by two friends who completed their 1.5km target in the same challenge and achieved their landmark mile swim.

So, far she has raised £1,185 for Marie Curie, Cancer Research and the Swimathon Foundation.

She said: “I am blown away by the donations, moral support and encouragement that I've had from family and friends. Thanks to everyone.

“I had a team counting our lengths, while my partner Les and friends Amanda and Patty cheered me on.

“At the very end, the Mount Kelly swim squad arrived for their training. Liz Vernon, of the pool staff, spoke to the squad coach and apparently, they were amazed at what I was doing, especially at my age. So, they cheered me on. It was brilliant and made my day.

“The last ten lengths were hard, but not finishing was not an option for me. I would have felt I was letting my sponsors down if I hadn't finished, which I did - with lots of jelly babies and encouragement from my team.”

Carol was joined by two friends who kept her company as they swam their own shorter lengths for the Swimathon.

Carol said: “My friend Caroline Vinnicombe mainly swam to support me. Also, Debbie Cope who had a severe leg injury in January last year and started swimming with me for her recovery was also swimming. Both gave me amazing support at the end.

“I am very pleased to say I completed my 5km together with my friends who not only completed their 1.5k but also achieved their mile target.”

She added: “So far I have raised £1,185 for Marie Curie, Cancer Research and the Swimathon Foundation.”

Carol, a retired children’s nurse who trained at Bristol and worked in London and Plymouth’s Freedom Fields and Derriford hospitals, chose the swimathon for the swimming challenge, but has also had family/friends who have been treated for cancer, which was a good incentive.

She found swimming helped alleviated the symptoms of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis.

She has found swimming and improving has also given her general confidence, so she joined the Tavistock Warblers, a community singing group to realise a long-held ambition: “Swimming and learning and being good enough to do this Swimathon has boosted my confidence.”

Carol taught herself to swim aged 11, then after progressing as an adult by swimming in hospitals where she worked, Mount Kelly College pool staff set her and her friends a challenge to swim a mile as a motivational target - now she is queen of the pool.

Carol Gander’s Marie Curie and Cancer Research Swimathon 2026 welcomes donations at these links: https://jg.swimathon.org/fundraising/carolyngander-1768382947515 or https://tinyurl.com/4w5hneu2