A man from Colby is aiming to swim around the Isle of Man to raise money for a suicide charity.
57-year-old David Higson will set off from Port St Mary in late August, hoping to complete the challenge in roughly five to seven days depending on weather and tidal conditions.
Unsupported, David will also tow a raft behind him which will carry the necessary food, equipment and camping gear for the expedition.
The funds raised through the swim will go to ‘Isle Stand Up To Suicide’, which is a telephone helpline for those who are suicidal to reach out for help in the island.
David’s son, Martin, took his own life at the age of 30 in June 2018.
Martin had studied engineering at University College Isle of Man and then politics at the University of Winchester.
He grew up in the island and was living in Greenville, South Carolina, United States, at the time of his death.
David said: ‘Ever since Martin died, I have been raising awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention charities. I also set up a peer support group called “Bereaved Survivors of Suicide Isle of Man”.
‘I am sick of hearing about people still losing their lives through suicide in the island, and I wanted to help in some way.’
The raft that David will be towing weighs 4.2 kilograms, but can carry up to 170 kilograms of weight.
Talking about his preparation, David said: ‘I have been training pulling plastic kayaks with heavy bottles of water and equipment in them. Although you can feel it, it’s not that much harder than swimming normally.
‘I think the hardest thing about the training is the length of time spent doing the thousands of lengths in the pool. Since October, I’ve swam 750 kilometres which is roughly 466 miles, while the swim around the island is roughly 96 miles.’
David began open water swimming in 2019, and this isn’t the first time he has swam the coast of the island.
He added: ‘I love open water swimming, and I’m always up for the adventure of swimming in different parts of the island.
‘It really helps having a goal and an incentive to keep motivated through the dark days of winter. I think it helps with my grief, and I find it a very mindful practice, especially in the sea and the beauty of the ocean.
‘My son Martin loved the sea, and we would often go kayaking together and camp. I feel like Martin will be joining me on the adventure, and I’m looking forward to spending some beautiful times under the stars with him.’
So far, David has raised just below £2,500 of his £5,000 target. If you wish to donate, you can visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/davidmichael-higson