I will be attempting to complete the Serpentine Super Six marathon swim on 14th September 2024.

I started swimming at the Lido in Spring 2023 as a way to find some much needed time for me as a disabled mum with a disabled child. I found that I enjoy swimming for long periods and by the end of the year was swimming for 2 hours several times a week.

When the Super Six swim was suggested to me I was excited (and pretty scared) and said yes I will try. I wouldn’t have the confidence to put myself forward so the suggestion gave me a push way out of my comfort zone and so here I am making a fundraising page.

I am hoping to raise money for Nene Park Trust but also I am hoping to prove something to myself.

I want to show my daughter that mummy can do hard things.

I want to show that with the right support disabled people can achieve things they didn’t think possible.

I want to challenge ideas of what strong, fit bodies look like and encourage others to find joy in movement no matter their size.

I wouldn’t be doing this without the support of the wonderful communities at Peterborough Lido and Body Image Fitness.

We sat down with Emily to ask her why she wanted to take on the challenge of a six mile swim!

What is the furthest you have ever swam?

Prior to being asked to do this just over 1.5 miles, now over four miles.

Do you have any other hobbies?

Being a mum takes up a lot of my time but I enjoy reading, cooking, foraging and art, as well as swimming.

Why are you taking part in Swim Serpentine?

I'm taking the opportunity to do something I wouldn't normally do and go outside of my comfort zone. I'm wanting to prove something to myself , show my daughter how mummy can do hard things, achieve something as a disabled person and person in a fat body. I am also excited to raise money for a good cause.

If you could swim any place in the world, where would you swim?

The place I would most like to visit is Japan, I'm sure there are many amazing places to swim there. My goal for now is just to swim wherever I go though.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you?

I'm autistic so going to an unfamiliar place that is busy is going to be a huge challenge for me due to anxiety and sensory overwhelm. Swimming for long periods and being stuck in my own head all that time has also been challenging as I have been extending my swims. 

What is your favourite way to fuel for a big swim?

I'm not an athlete at all so I don't know much about nutrition. I have been making sure to eat breakfast before my swims as I have been training. Also I hear jelly babies are all the rage for long distance swimming sugar hits, so I have been trying those out before the big day.

What will keep you motivated during the swim?

My daughter. Being a complete finisher who has to finish what I start. the medal, I don't remember getting a medal before haha!

What does Nene Park Trust mean to you?

I used to visit as a child and now my daughter visits too. It's an important place for families in Peterborough. So many people make special memories there. It brings communities together.

Find out more about Nene Park Trust's appeal here

Emily Niemc