May 24, 2010 Amandas in the Swim for Headway

In 2009 Amanda Hazzard set herself a two year goal to raise £1000 for Headway Portsmouth.

Last Thursday during a sponsored swim which saw her complete an amazing 100 lengths of the 25 metre pool at Havant Horizon Centre l in just two hours, a year ahead of her schedule, Amanda reached her target, closely followed by husband Paul, who beat his own personal record too. Amanda and Paul raised almost £500 during their 2 hour swim, which saw Amanda achieve 2500 metres and smash her fundraising goal!

Amanda and Paul before the swim

Amanda said afterwards "Our goal was to raise £1000 over two years in order to help support the services that our Headway centre provides.  The Headway team have been marvellous, supporting Paul and I following his brain injury - and I just wanted to give something in return."

Headway Service Manager Alf Tweedy with a gift for Amanda

Amanda's fundraising plan started back in May 2009 when she took part in a sponsored swim, raising over £300. Just two months later and Amanda was raising funds through operating a raffle and a collection at her place of work.

And just a few days before the sponsored swim, Amanda and Paul completed an arduous 15 mile walk around Langstone Harbour, raising even more funds for Headway.

Life for Paul and Amanda changed dramatically in 2000 when Paul, then aged just 37, suffered a heart attack.  The nightmare didn't stop there, as the heart attack had caused a lack of oxygen to Paul's brain, resulting in Paul suffering a brain injury.

Paul had been an IT specialist prior to acquiring his brain injury and unfortunately was not able to continue working.

10 years on and Paul still has difficulty with short term and long term memory loss, problems initiating conversations and showing emotion and an inability to plan and prioritise.

Paul and Amanda have been supported during the last few years by Headway Portsmouth and S E Hants

Amanda commented "Headway have supported Paul and I by providing skills development sessions and a drop in service, they have also provided information and guidance. Paul currently attends an IT class, which he really enjoys and I gain strength from attending the carer's sessions and speaking with other people in the same situation, it makes me realise I am not on my own."

"Life is now different for Paul and I, but having the support of Headway has been wonderful. That is why we decided to raise money for them.  Paul loves to swim and we go once a week and Paul also swims each week assisted by a carer.

Joy Ward, Funding Advisor, said "Amanda is marvellous, she has set herself some hard challenges in order to raise funds for us over the past year."

Amanda added "We couldn't have achieved our aim without the support of others. I would just like to thank the Horizon Leisure Centre team at Havant,  who provided a lane for free for Paul and I to enable us to complete our swim and the staff and customers of the Southern Cooperative at Tregarron Avenue where I work have been magnificent  in supporting us, and of course I couldn't possibly forget our friends and family who have really backed us in our fundraising activities."