A BEREAVED brother who found solace in exercise was ‘gobsmacked’ by people’s support for his fitness fundraising challenges.
Charlie Swift-Simpkin’s brother, Jordan Swift-Simpkin, died of an aggressive form of kidney cancer in December 2023, aged just 43, five months after being diagnosed.
Charlie says Jordan was not just a brother but ‘his best pal’, and found intense physical exercise the only way to stop his grief becoming overwhelming.
With the help of his gym buddies, and especially personal trainer, Dale Halliwell, the Winsford gardener undertook two fitness-related fundraising challenges recently.
On Sunday, May 10, Charlie and exercise pals in Winsford Lifestyles Centre did an 83-mile relay rowing challenge, which they completed in under 10 hours.
Then on Sunday, June 2, he led around 70 friends and family to the top of Snowdon, Wales’ highest peak, a day which he described as ‘unforgettable’.
Charlie 70-plus strong Snowdon squad at Llanberis mountain railway station (Image: Charlie Swift-Simpkin)
Money raised through his JustGiving page – £3,100 so far – will be split between the cancer treatment unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital, and St Kentigern Hospice, where brother Jordan died.
Charlie said: “I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s donated, and to everyone who’s stood by me over the last couple of months.
“I’d also like to say a huge thank you to the staff at Brio who’ve been brilliant helping me get everything organised.
Charlie putting one foot in front of the other on his way up the 1085m peak (Image: Charlie Swift-Simpkin)
“Dale, who’s a personal trainer at Brio, has carried me from day one.
“When we did the rowing challenge, the team smashed the distance with over half-an-hour to spare, so decided to carry on for the full 10 hours to hit a total of 83 miles.
“The walk went absolutely brilliantly too. The weather was fantastic and very much on our side.
Charlie’s fundraising rowing relay squad at Winsford Lifestyle Centre (Image: Charlie Swift-Simpkin)
“Everyone had a great time. They were swimming in the lake afterwards. It was just a wonderful day out, and it was the people who came who made it so special.
Charlie said he was ‘gobsmacked’ when he totted up the total raised to date.
He added: “I never thought I make anywhere near so much money. We’re well over £3,100 now.
“Hopefully, by the time I close the page, I think we’ll be looking at around £3,700. It’s a wonderful amount of money.”
Charlie’s JustGiving page will be open until the end of the month.