I’m swimming for my life

Last month I saw the start of Swim22. It’s a fabulous event that I took part in a few years ago, run by Diabetes UK. It’s the worlds largest virtual charity swim and the idea is that within 12 weeks (from the 22nd of July till the 22nd of October) people should try and swim the distance of the English Channel!

Now, 12 weeks sounds like a long time but this distance equates to a little over 1500 lengths of the pool and it certainly is a challenge. Although there are shorter distances and, if you’re bold, longer distances as well.

When I took part in it a few years ago I found I lost some weight and certainly got fitter but the most surprising thing about the event was the effect it had on my mental health. I hadn’t really swam too much since I was at school and although I enjoyed a swim I hadn’t realised that if you spent a little longer in the pool you could really find a sense of meditation in the swimming. It was the Swim22 event that got me back into swimming and subsequently led me into open water swimming, where I swim outdoors.

Open water swimming has now been something of a salvation of mine as my knees won’t allow me to run and swimming as one of the few exercises that I can do without causing myself any further injury. I love wild swimming and swim anywhere I can. The longest swim I have done is St Mary’s loch in the borders of Scotland which is 6.4km long in cold dark water. Mostly, at the moment I’m swimming in my local river and with a few twists and turns I can swim 2km. I plan to swim all 22 miles outdoors and I’m going to see if I have the stamina to double the distance to 44 miles!

I have been an insulin-dependent diabetic for nearly 40 years and Diabetes UK have always been a great source of information and help and I know that fellow diabetics and people living with diabetes have found them an invaluable resource. So when I was chatting to them I asked if I could help out with the swim22 promotions and made a few videos that I could use on social media to try and send a message out. I’ve clipped together a few of them for you which I hope you enjoy and it would be great if you could follow the #swim22 and see how everyone gets on. 

I’m trying to raise some money for them and have a Just Giving page and have found a fantastic way of setting up a donation page on my Instagram as well. It would be great if you could spare a few pounds to contribute to such a great cause. You can keep in touch with where I’ve been swimming and how the distance is chalking up here.

Things continue to be busy at the Q, we’ve had one or two members of staff that have been pinged by the app and so it’s been all hands to the pump to cover the odd shift, but of course we do have a great team spirit and so that’s helped us get through some difficult times. As it’s now August there are all sorts of things are beginning to happen, not least of all the Beauty Excellence Awards are available for your votes, so don’t forget to vote for your favourite brands and products. I know it means a lot to them to be shortlisted but it also helps us know what you like. You can vote by clicking here.

As it’s August so we will be ramping up a preparations for Christmas shows (I know!). The Althams Christmas Meat Hamper will be available soon, and although I know the big ‘yo ho ho’ is a long time away, it does mean that’s one thing ticked off your list, as it’s an advanced order where you secure delivery of a fabulous meat hamper but without having to pay for it until it’s dispatched. Keep a look out for this offer towards the latter half of the month.

Already available is a great offer in the form of the beauty pick of the month from Ahuhu. This relatively new brand is something that I only recently found out about when I talked to Maren Wietfeldt via Skype during a recent lunchtime show. The brand prides itself in using plant extracts and, where possible, nothing but natural ingredients. All the products smell absolutely gorgeous and your hair does look amazing -we have recently started trying it in the Biagi household, and there is a great special offer available this month.

The Anti-Age Elixir + Redensyl from Ahuhu is a daily treatment formulated to help strengthen hair follicles and promote the look of healthy, glossy locks. We have a double-size version of the normal 100ml size. If you want to increase the look of hair volume and reduce appearance of hair loss this is definitely something to try. Using plant extracts to do the work makes it much kinder on your head and the environment. The main active ingredient is Redensyl which is also known as a hair growth galvaniser. It is a breakthrough against hair loss and the best alternative to hair transplantation. It targets hair growth at the cellular level. Sounds cool eh?

Gosh there’s a lot going on this month and with all the swimming I’m doing, the great hair offer is just in time….. I love it when a plan comes together.

Simon x

@simonbiagi