The Splash Dragons raised over £14,500 through their swim and fundraising efforts. They swam the distance of London to Cardiff in lidos and lakes.

Taniya Morris, Fiona Coombs and Karen Davies each swam fifty miles in total, 6 kilometres each day for two weeks without a break. They ended up totalling 162 miles across the fourteen days.

“It was really good,” said Taniya. “We started with a lot in London, as there are several beautiful lidos in London. Following that we effectively travelled along the M4 corridor and swam at Guilford, then up to Newbury, Swindon, Cheltenham and then into Wales we did Spring Valley Lakes, Ponty lido, and finally Llanishen Reservoir.

“It was absolutely brilliant and we were blessed with the best weather, it was like summer again.”

Splash Dragons
The trio completed their swim challenge at Llanishen Reservoir. (Splash Dragons)

The Splash Dragons presented MP David Chadwick with a letter at the Houses of Parliament in London on behalf of Velindre Cancer Centre, as well as presenting a similar letter to MS Rebeca Phillips at the Senedd in Cardiff following the completion of their challenge.

Velindre Cancer Centre are asking to publish and fund the plan, end the postcode lottery, fund the whole cancer pathway, make rural Wales part of the design, protect research and innovation, and plan for rising demand.

They are asking Westminster to provide fair, long-term funding settlements that allow cancer services to plan with confidence and the Senedd to turn the Cancer Strategy commitment into action and ensure no patient is disadvantaged because of where they live.

Speaking on this, Taniya said: “David Chadwick met us just before the first Prime Minister’s Questions for Andy Burnham and David had a question tabled, so was going to be standing up in the house to speak interestingly about cross border healthcare issues. He met us about an hour before that and gave us all the time and was very kind and interested in what we were doing.

“We met MS Rebeca Phillips at the Senedd and once again she was really receptive and taken the letter away and said she will come back to us with a response to the points made by Velindre on cancer funding.”

For one of the Splash Dragons, this was particularly challenging as Fiona had been undergoing cancer treatment up until three weeks before the challenge so she had’t had the opportunity to train as much as Karen and Taniya.

“She was understandably nervous but she is very strong and such a quiet determined person,” said Taniya. “On day two I think it was, she had some shoulder pain and she was genuinely concerned that it may stop her, but she did some breast stroke as well as front crawl and managed it really well and got stronger and stronger.

“We never thought we weren’t going to make it but the first day back in Wales was really hard because it was vile weather and a miserable day, but you are so far in you know you just can’t give up.

“The thing is, if you’re swimming and it’s hurting, you just have to think about who you are raising money for and think this is nothing compared to what people are going through, so it was quite the motivator.”

The group received tremendous support from sponsors including Brecon Car Rentals, who provided them with a car for the second week, Lonely Adventure, who gave the team bright swimming costumes made from recycled materials, Prints of Wales produced a range of Splash Dragon items, and Brecon Chocolates who have made and sold Splash Dragons chocolate medals.

The Splash Dragons have increased their target to £15,000 with more fundraising events planned before they head out to New York for a swim around the Statue of Liberty next summer.

To read all your favourites stories online sign up to The Brecon & Radnor Express. Use promo code JOECORRICK to get £10 off your annual subscription.