Blind wild swimmer appeals for regular chaperone

A devoted swimmer who is registered blind is appealing for a dedicated chaperone so he can take to open water on a more regular basis.

Simon Wilkes, 47, from March in Cambridgeshire, was born without eyes. He says wild swimming is "bracing, invigorating and refreshing" and helps boost his mental and physical health.

However, he cannot afford to cover the cost of a professional carer and has no friends or family members that can regularly accompany him.

March Fen Fins, an outdoor swimming group in the area, say they welcome people of all abilities, but say a blind swimmer requires a chaperone to assist them, as "everybody is responsible for themselves around water".

Wilkes has a small swimming pool in his back garden but says he feels like a "captive dolphin".

He says he has managed to get help on one-off occasions, sparking wonderful wild swimming experiences that could not be replicated in a man-made pool.

"I have open swum in Ely and had what I call escort swans that followed me along the river and even followed me back to the bank," he said.

Wilkes said he also enjoyed a sea swim with a radio guide at Sea Palling in Norfolk - during which he was surrounded by seals, swimming and diving around him.

"As a totally blind person I don't receive the high level care or personal assistant support that people might think I get," he added.

Lisa Thomas is part of the Fen Fins outdoor swimming group based in Fenland, which has nearly 200 members, including some with disabilities, although Wilkes is the first totally blind swimmer who has wanted to join them.

"We welcome anybody with disabilities, it is such a great thing for people to swim in open water, the only thing we say is, everybody really must look after themselves," she said.

She added that the group could not take responsibility for individuals on a session and that Wilkes would be more than welcome to join if he had a chaperone to assist him.

Dr Shamira Naidu-Young, from British Blind Sport says there are two options for Wilkes in terms of guiding in open water swimming.

"He could have someone swim alongside him (either tethered or untethered) to support," she said.

"That person would obviously also need to be a competent swimmer.

"Alternatively, there are communication devices that can be used to guide someone from a distance i.e. in a small boat. The communication device is the option that Melanie Barratt used when she swam the channel."

British Blind Sport say there is no official qualification for guiding in the water at the moment but that Guide Dogs have a free online course on guiding more generally - and organisations such as those involved in Have a Go Day have experience in catering for visually-impaired swimmers and may be able to provide some guidance.

Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.