Woman swims Channel for charity that has 'given so much'

Hannah Litchfield said it made "complete sense" to raise money for the charity which helped her through a challenging period

An NHS worker swam the English Channel to raise money for a charity, which has "given her so much".

Hannah Litchfield, an NHS energy manager in Taunton, swam around 21 miles on Wednesday 17 July to raise money for Somerset NHS Charity, which supports hospitals and mental health services at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

Ms Litchfield says she previously struggled with her mental health and wanted to give back to the trust that supported her through the "challenging period".

She swam from Dover to France in 12 hours and four minutes, and raised £1,500.

During the challenge, she was accompanied by "support boat" which consisted of a crew of three who advised her route

Ms Litchfield said she had "always wanted" to swim the Channel, and felt "a little dazed" once she had completed the feat.

Ms Litchfield began working at the trust after struggling with her mental health. She said it enabled her to "focus and carry on getting better".

“If it wasn’t for the support I’ve received from this trust, my manager and my colleagues, I don’t think I’d have been able to meet the challenge," she added.

Head of the trust, James Kirton, said: “This incredible colleague has done something really special, not only has she raised a small fortune for Somerset NHS Charity, but she has also helped to raise the profile of our charity.

“Every penny will be put back into our trust and used to make a difference for patients across Somerset.”

Ms Litchfield is already planning her next fundraiser, when she hopes to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. This consists of swimming the Catalina Channel, a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island in New York City, and the English Channel.