by Gianina Turner
A KINGSWOOD resident is preparing to take on one of the toughest open water swims in the UK – and she’s doing it for a cause close to her heart.
Adele Benson, who lives in Kingswood with her partner Josh, will attempt to swim across the Bristol Channel this September to raise money for Toucan Diversity, a charity that works to improve disability inclusion.
The swim will take place sometime between 14 and 18 September, depending on the weather and tides. Adele will swim from Glenthrone to Porthcawl, a crossing that’s around 16 miles as the crow flies – but likely much further in reality.
“The Bristol Channel has the second largest tidal range in the world,” Adele explained. “Because of the tides, you don’t always swim in a straight line, so the real distance can be much greater than it looks on a map.”
The route will also count towards the Original Triple Crown of open water swimming, which recognises swimmers who complete the English Channel, Bristol Channel, and North Channel crossings.
Adele successfully completed a solo swim of the English Channel in June 2024, finishing in 15 hours and 13 minutes.
Her journey into endurance swimming began after a turning point in her life.
“Following the pandemic, I found myself moving back in with my parents after completing my Master’s degree. That period became a wake‑up call. I realised I wanted to find fulfilment and purpose beyond work alone.”
She began swimming and strength training regularly, gradually building up to longer distances through organised events.
“When I built up to my first major swim – the length of Windermere – I realised it was half the distance of the English Channel,” she said. “I couldn’t shake how close I felt to being able to swim like that, so I made a booking.”
Since crossing the Channel, Adele has gone on to complete a series of demanding swims, including Ullswater and Coniston in the Lake District, Lake Annecy in France, a crossing from Gdynia to Hel in Poland, and an Escape from Flat Holm Island swim in the Bristol Channel.
This latest challenge is in aid of Toucan Diversity, an organisation that delivers training and education to help organisations become more inclusive of disabled people.
The charity has a deeply personal connection for her. Its founder, and Adele’s friend, Madissa Asgari, died in October 2020.The organisation is now run by Madissa’s mother and sister.
Adele believes disability inclusion is something that affects everyone – not just a few.
“I firmly believe that for most people, it is not if you become disabled, but when,” she said. “Disability touches all of our lives through ageing, illness, accident, or injury.”
To support Adele’s Bristol Channel swim and donate visit her fundraising page at: https://givestar.io/gs/bristol-channel-swim