Swimming teacher Sally Minty-Gravett became the oldest woman, at the age of 59, to complete the double Channel swim in August 2016, spending a total of 36 hours and 26 minutes in the water. She has swum the Channel seven times and is the only person to have completed five Channel crossings in five different decades.
This week, during a ceremony at the St Helier Lifeboat Station, Mrs Minty-Gravett presented two RNLI members with the cheque.
She had been due to hand over the money to the charity earlier but was delayed after the former St Helier crew walked out in protest following a dispute with the UK head office.
Speaking following the presentation, Roy Bullen, RNLI Jersey management group chairman, said that the funds would go to maintaining the charity’s lifesaving services. ‘The monies raised by Sally from her amazing double Channel swim are extremely gratefully received by RNLI Jersey,’ he said. ‘It costs over £300,000 a year to operate the two lifeboat stations in Jersey and Sally’s fundraising will help ensure that the RNLI is able to continue to maintain its lifesaving service around our Island.’
The remaining funds raised by Mrs Minty-Gravett’s challenge are due to be presented to Jersey Cheshire Home in the coming weeks. The residential facility is due to receive a cheque for £12,368.64.
