A UK-based entrepreneur Leah Chowdhry from Oxshott, will become one of the first British Asian women to swim across the English Channel, on 4 July, when she will set off from Dover on a gruelling 22-mile swim to Calais, to raise funds for a charity.
Funds raised rom the challenge, for the British Asian Trust, a charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, will help to protect vulnerable children from trafficking and exploitation in India and provide quality education for some of the country’s poorest children. Leah has already raised more than £35,000 for this life-changing work.
Taking on average 13 hours in light and darkness, Leah will be battling with jelly fish, ship tankers and seasickness, but has been training hard over the last six months to support the incredible cause that she is so passionate about. With a BSc in Childhood Studies, Indian-origin Leah has always been passionate about childhood development and is the CEO of Pop up, Party & Play.
British Asian Trust’s partner organisation Prerana runs three night-care centres for children at risk, as well as shelter homes and a residential training centre for girls rescued from the trafficking trade. This project will support India’s first online resource centre dedicated to the prevention of sexual offences against children and provide 80 girls and young women aged 15+ with a rehabilitation care programme to build better futures.
Back in February, Leah visited both partner organisations in India to see the Trust’s work in action. She said: “When I asked some of the children what they aspired to be, they answered: ‘a footballer’ or ‘a doctor’, despite all their hardships, they remained so motivated and positive, which spurs me on even more with my training.”
“I am honoured to be one of the first ever British Asian women to take on this challenge, with only just short of 1,500 people to ever complete the swim.”
Leah will have family and friends in a support boat who will be travelling alongside her, but under Channel Swimming Association rules, she is not allowed any human contact while undertaking the challenge.
