William Mahaffey is back in the swim and has upped his training and is now more ready than ever to swim the English Channel. 

Focusing on bettering himself and helping others along the way, William has spent months training for the ultimate mammoth challenge. 

Having originally set a goal to swim the English Channel in September last year, the ex-serviceman committed to a rigorous training schedule and an intense battle to prepare him for the conditions of the water. 

However, after completing one of his training swims in which he managed to cover eight miles, he noticed his health deteriorating and he started to feel unwell. 

This setback took William, from Audenshaw, out of the water for 12 weeks, and when he returned to swim, he felt his fitness had dropped dramatically and he was concerned that he would not be prepared to tackle the Channel swim.

At that moment, he was just eight weeks away from the September date. Thinking about the best option, William and his team decided to push the swim back to July this year instead. 

“That setback had a really big impact on me mentally. I felt so down, and it had thrown me back so much, and not just physically. 

“It was a tough challenge that I had to fight through, but I managed to battle through it and now we’re on the other side - just three months away from the swim,” William said. 

Inspiring others who may struggle with their mental health, William set out to complete the swim to raise money for The Anthony Seddon Fund in Ashton. 

The charity work to provide a safe environment to allow people in the community to open up and chat about their feelings.

“I think they do amazing work and they’ve just been turned into a crisis centre so the workload may increase for them. 

“The big charities get so much coverage, but I think it’s important to support the ones who are out there in the community as they need the help just as much,” he said. 

William is not one to shy away from speaking about his mental health journey. 

Stationed in Afghanistan during the bloodiest tour to date in summer 2010, he remembers 72 casualties and witnessed some unspeakable sights. 

However, he now champions to support those who may also need resources to cope with their internal struggles. 

“I’ve decided to complete this swim because I want to show to people that even though it’s so much harder to do regular things, these things can still be accomplished. 

“When I go for my swim, I sit outside for ten minutes while I mentally prepare to enter the pool. Then once I’m inside I take another ten minutes to get my head around getting into the water. 

“But I want to push these boundaries and complete this swim to show people that they can do things, it’s all about being strong.”

William trains six days a week, taking up strength and conditioning sessions at Ultimate Fitness in Stalybridge, completing circuit classes and diving into the pool three times a week. 

Alongside this, he works 50 hours a week and juggles family life, including the care of his eight-month-old son. 

“I’ve got a partner who stands by me, and she knows what I stand for. I’m on this mission now where I want to highlight that the bad choices aren’t the only ones we’ve got. 

“She helps me so much and she picks up so many extra things. Once the swim is complete, I’m going to take some time to spend with my family. Then it’s my turn to pick up everything that she’s been doing,” he says. 

With the challenge now approaching in the coming months, William will be doing everything he can to ensure he is in the best position to tackle the open water. 

He has already amassed over £1,000 and is hoping to raise as much as possible for the incredible charity. 

You can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/william-mahaffey2 

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