'Old gits' prepare to make a splash for charity

Five self-confessed "old gits" from Kent are getting ready to hit the pool to raise money for charity.

The swimmers, all aged between 56 and 70, have a range of health conditions from heart failure to arthritis and all used to work in the construction industry.

They have given themselves the team name "The Swim Old Gits" and are preparing to take part in an annual swimathon.

Team captain Tony Smith, 66, said the group discovered they all came from the same area, were all in construction work and then formed a friendship.

"We talked about life, health, medical issues, everything really and from heart failure to high blood pressure everybody has battled with something," he said.

They all met at the Herons Leisure Centre in Herne Bay, Kent, where they plan to swim 200 lengths of the pool, 3.1miles (5km) in total.

Simon Martin, 56, who suffers from heart failure, chronic kidney disease and angina said the idea had come from Tony.

"The Swimathon banner was put up in the pool and Tony said 'I think we should go for that'," he said.

"We all thought he was nuts."

The Swimathon challenge is being hosted at hundreds of pools across the UK from 20 to 22 March.

About 10,000 swimmers signed up for the charity event last year.

The team hope to raise £2,000 for the charities Cancer Research and Marie Curie.

Simon said: "My fitness deteriorated really badly due to heart failure about two years ago.

"But since I started swimming it's got better, my lungs have got better, my breathing has got better. It's really turned my life around.

"We have gone from doing nothing, to swimming and now a Swimathon."

The team are now considering what their next challenge might be.

Simon said: "If we leave it to Tony I imagine we'll be swimming the Channel soon!"

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