On Friday 12th September 2014, exactly 458 days after waking up with the ridiculous idea of swimming the English Channel, I was rewarded for my efforts by being able to hand over a cheque to Acorns totaling £12,800.

The event was attended by Acorns, the challenge sponsors, my family, the film crew documenting my Channel 'journey', and my boat crew:

• Rebecca Widdowson, representing Hallmark Hulme
• James Howard representing Kendall Wadley
• David Watts, Jorj Jarvie and Mandie Fitzgerald, representing Acorns
• Wayne Isaac, manager of David Lloyd's
• Ali MacLeod, my trusted boat crew
• Simon Fall-Taylor from FT Images
• Mum and Graham, my step-dad

The amount raised via my JustGiving site is now in excess of this figure, and we are closing in on topping £13,000.  Please feel free to help us!  :0)

Today will see the official handover of the money raised from my English Channel swim.

Acorns will be handed a cheque today for an AMAZING £12,854.93!!!

The presentation will take place at David Lloyd's, who so generously provided their facilities, and where I undertook the majority of my training.

Representatives from Hallmark Hulme and Kendall Wadley, instrumental corporate sponsors for the swim, will also be present.  Simon from FT Images will be there to cover the handover professionally.

S&O Media, producing a documentary about my journey, and Worcester News are also attending.  It looks to be quite a gathering.

Many, many thanks to all the incredible people who donated so generously.  I will soon be able to confirm the exact equipment your money will buy for the children at Acorns.

I arrived home tonight to find a letter from the House of Commons addressed to me.  

Robin Walker, Conservative MP for Worcester, had been canvassing in our area.  Having come to the house and spoken to my mother-in-law, he had inquired about the large 'Well done dad' banner flying from the upstairs window.

Impressed at hearing about my efforts, Robin took the effort of writing to me personally to congratulate me.  Robin's involvement as a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Hospices and Palliative Care, means that he will be fully aware just how much difference a boost of £12,500 will make to Acorns.

I confess it was quite a thrill to receive such a letter, and a nice touch to see that it had received Robin's personal attention.

Having just finished a phone call with Jorj Jarvie, director of fundraising at Acorns, it's exciting to have identified not just one, but two pieces of equipment that my Channel swim will enable the Worcester hospice in Bath road to purchase.

I will have to hold off revealing the full details at this stage, as we are hoping to announce this when the cheque is handed over to Acorns on 12th September.  Suffice to say, two items of equipment that had been on the hospice's wish list for 2014-2015 can now be ticked off.

Wayne Isaacs has kindly agreed that David Lloyd's will be the venue for this handover.   Senior representatives from Hallmark Hulme and Kendal Wadley will also be present, as these two organisations were instrumental in ensuring that the challenge was financially viable.  The event will be covered by the Worcester News, and professionally photographed by Simon Fall-Taylor of  F.T.Images.

More to follow, once the official handover has taken place.