AN experienced open water swimmer and classical violinist aims to raise money for Barry Dock RNLI at this year’s Castle 2 Castle swim event on Sunday 30th June.
London born Christopher Horner, now based in Cardiff, is an experienced open water swimmer who is currently gearing up for the Castle 2 Castle event in Cornwall. The swim spans a mile from Pendennis Castle in Falmouth to St Mawes Castle on the Rosalind Peninsula. Because of his experience in the water, Christopher understands the importance of sea safety and only swims at beaches were there are lifeguards on duty. He also regularly gives sea safety advice at the schools where he is a violin teacher.
He said: “My occupation is classical musician. I’ve been playing violin since early childhood and my career encompasses performing, teaching, and examining in the UK and overseas.
“Swimming has been a lifelong passion. I learned to swim in the sea and have continued ever since. Apart from the sea, freshwater swimming in the Scottish lochs with my Dad is a great memory of my teenage years.”
“Once the lifeguards arrive to start their season on Good Friday, I swim as regularly as time allows to train for the Castle to Castle Swim which is on 30 June.
“The Castle 2 Castle Swim started with just 40 swimmers in 2009. A year later, my first swim, the number had mushroomed to 350, with 450 the maximum allowed for safety reasons.”
RNLI Castle to Castle Swim: The Castle 2 Castle Swim is a one mile open water sea swim starting at Pendennis Castle in Falmouth and finishes at St Mawes Castle on the Roseland Peninsula.
Christopher has long-standing connections with the RNLI, with his parents remembered on Invergordon RNLI’s Shannon the Agnes A P Barr, through the Launch a Memory tribute, and also through his brother, who was part of a film crew that covered the Penlee disaster in 1981.
Last month, he was given a guided tour of the Barry station by the full-time mechanic Ben Phillips. Ben kitted him out in one of the RNLI yellow drysuits and Christopher commented: “The equipment is expensive, and I’m wearing £2,500 worth of it. As well as training and lifeboats, this is where your donations go. We need to keep this great organisation afloat!”
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