River Thames Swim for Charity

Dated 1978

A fireman aged 55 and a girl of 19 are to swim the River Thames for charity.

Don Gilbert and kim Darby will cover themselves in grease to protect them from the cold and set off from Canvey.

Both regulars at the Monico pub in Eastern Esplanade, Canvey, they got involved in the marathon swin after chatting to the landlord Peter Ridout.

On July 30 they will dive into the river opposite the pub for the two and a quater mile swim to the Kent shore.

They will be escorted by boats and skin divers. The boats are radio and radar equipped and will be in touch with Port of London Authority control centre at Gravesend.

Don, of Meynell Avenue, Canvey, said: “We are talking about the river and I said it had always been an ambition of mine to swim it before I die.”

Don Gilbert and Kim Darby
Echo Newspaper Archive

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