A BRONGLAIS mental health nurse predicts she has raised £800 for charity after swimming in the freezing sea off Borth during the winter without a wetsuit.

Ruth Jennison, who lives in Llanidloes but works on Bronglais Hospital’s Enlli ward, has been swimming in the sea since October in an effort to raise money for mental health services in Zanzibar, a Tanzanian island off the east coast of Africa.

Ruth has not worn a wetsuit for any of her swims, bathing only in a swimming costume and some neoprene gloves and socks when the cold winter sea was particularly biting.

On Saturday, 8 April, Ruth took her last dip of the fundraising effort, although she said she would continue her swims for leisure.

“I am really happy with the amount of money I have raised,” she said.

“We are going to keep hold of it now and take it with us when we visit in September so we can make sure it goes to the right people,” Ruth, 60, told the Cambrian News this week.

“I think the money is going to be around £700, maybe £800, which is great.”

Ruth used to work as a community mental health nurse in Zanzibar.

Along with two colleagues in mental health care, Ruth helped set up the ZAMHS group, which helps support outreach services in Zanzibar, taking medicines to those living in rural areas who cannot access or afford them otherwise.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Ruth, or would like more information about her project, should visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ZAMHS or www.facebook.com/ZanzibarMH/.

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