Ceredigion women swim English Channel for RNLI New Quay

The team, called Tîm Merched y Môr, braved the waters last month to raise more than £7,000 for New Quay RNLI through their efforts.

Consisting of six women ranging in age from 40 to 68, Ali O'Dochartaigh, Kate Lee, Dr Sian Newman, Sally Worsley, Jill Sutton and Louise Ensoll took to the water.

They took up the challenge on Saturday, June 29, after their friend, Rachel Monrowe, had to step down due to medical conditions.

Ms Lee said: "Most of us had never even dreamed of swimming the Channel.

"But we came together after our friend and swim companion Rachel Monrowe had challenged herself to swim the Channel and needed five more people to make up the team.

"We all said yes immediately and thought about what we'd just got ourselves into afterwards!"

The group raised more than £7,000 (Image: RNLI)

Unfortunately, Mr Monrowe had to pull out on medical grounds, so 68-year-old Jill Sutton was persuaded to join the team just 10 weeks ahead of the swim date.

The team's decision to aid New Quay RNLI was a simple one, as all team members were sea swimmers and frequently trained from the New Quay Lifeboat Station over to Llanina Point.

Ms Lee added: "That bit was an easy choice."

She added they "wanted to support the local appeal to raise funds for the training and equipment for the new all-weather Shannon class lifeboat that arrived last year."

New Quay RNLI's lifeboat operations manager, Roger Couch, was full of praise for the team.

He said: "Everyone at New Quay Lifeboat Station would like to congratulate Tîm Merched Y Môr for their remarkable challenge.

"We would like to send our thanks to the team and their support crew on raising a tremendous amount of money for our station and our lifeboats.

"Without supporters and fundraisers like Merched y Môr our service would not exist.

"Thank you."

The funds raised by Tîm Merched Y Môr will go a long way in supporting the RNLI's life-saving work.