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In commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s recent passing, Hawtrey House hosted a swim-a-thon. On Sunday 9 October, 50 boys attempted to swim the distance travelled by Her Majesty’s coffin from Wellington Arch to Windsor Castle: 34.2km, equivalent to 1368 lengths, over the period of only four hours. They successfully managed to far surpass this goal, swimming a total of 3350 laps and raising over £2,500 for their chosen charity, Winston’s Wish, which supports young people dealing with grief.

Their charity of choice, Winston’s Wish, is a charity based in Gloucester aimed at supporting young people dealing with grief. Their services include a Freephone National Helpline, 1-2-1 counselling and specialist publications.

If you would like donate, you can do so until 16 October.

Ethan W, who directed the event, spoke with the Eton College Journalism Association to discuss his thoughts on the day itself:

What inspired you to arrange a fundraising event for Winston’s Wish?

My father passed away last year, and Winston’s Wish helped me to get through it. The people there are really friendly and do great work for those who are suffering. After the charity supported me, I decided to become one of their ambassadors and help raise money for people who have gone through similar experiences.

What was the actual day like?

 Although it was a serious day with lots of determination and hard work, it was a great bonding experience for the entire House to come together and just swim. Overall, it was really good fun!