A PAIR of dale toy shop colleagues were joined by friends and family as they braved Europe’s largest swim to raise more than £1,000 for a charity close to their hearts.
Pauline Connelly and Mel Wade, from Connelly’s Toy Shop, in Barnard Castle, tackled the Great North Swim, at Windermere, in memory of Ms Connelly’s mum Eileen, who died of cancer in 2007.
Ms Connelly completed the mile-long course while Ms Wade finished the half-mile route on Sunday, June 10. Ms Connelly said: “It was perfect conditions and there weren’t too many waves on the water. We are very pleased with our times.
“It was crazy busy. They reckon there were 10,000 swimmers. It is the biggest swim in Europe, I believe.”
She added that all cash raised through sponsorships would go to Macmillan Cancer Support, which had supported her mum Eileen and her family in the past.
Ms Connelly raised another £1,000 for the charity in April when she took part in Macmillan’s Brave The Shave challenge, which saw all her hair being cut off. Anyone who wishes to contribute to the fundraising drive can call in at the shop on The Bank.
