A Plymouth police officer has completed the world-famous English Channel swim to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society in honour of her beloved nan.
Sergeant Lindsey Walke, 49, crossed the Channel on Saturday 21 June, swimming for more than 14 hours in cold, choppy waters to raise over £3,000 for the charity.
Lindsey dedicated the swim to her beloved grandmother, Margaret Perriment, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and sadly passed away in 2017.
The Tavistock officer, an experienced open water swimmer, said the challenge had long been a dream of hers. She said:
“I felt inspired to raise awareness for people affected by dementia after seeing what it’s like to live with the condition. In the years following my nan’s diagnosis, it was a challenging time.
“My nan was such a special woman - she was like a second mum to me. When it got to the stage in her condition where she didn’t recognise who I was anymore, I found that really hard.
“The swim has always been a dream of mine, and I knew if I did it I wanted to do it for a good cause. I want to raise money to help support people affected by dementia and support those living with the condition in future”.
After delays due to weather conditions, Lindsey set off on Saturday 21 June from Dover. She completed the swim in just over 14 hours, accompanied by a support crew on board a boat.
Support Lindsey’s swim and help Alzheimer’s Society reach more families facing the heartbreak of dementia. Donate below.
Alzheimer's Society Regional Fundraiser Claire Frost praised Lindsey’s efforts. She added:
“Lindsey is a wonderful advocate for Alzheimer’s Society and her attitude to raising awareness of dementia is amazing. By taking on this mammoth challenge and through all of her fundraising, she’s helping to make a life-changing difference to people living with dementia.
“Alzheimer’s Society provides vital support to people living with dementia, funds groundbreaking research and campaigns to make dementia the priority it should be.
“There are over 101,500 people living with dementia in the Southwest of England, but we simply can’t reach everyone without the continued support of our incredible fundraisers like Lindsey. The support she gives us in memory of her nan is inspiring”.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born today will develop it in their lifetime.
Lindsey’s achievement comes during Alzheimer’s Society’s 2025 Forget Me Not Appeal, which aims to raise vital funds to support those affected by dementia and their families.
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