​​​​​​​Deborah Orr is taking part in the Great North Swim in June to support Lighthouse Club, one of the BBA’s nominated charities for 2023.

Deborah is our Campaign Manager who joined the marketing team earlier this year, based in our Liverpool office. With a recently-developed passion for open-water swimming, she’s taking on this challenge in support of a great charity!

Lighthouse Club is a charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families, tackling the stigma and challenges around mental health in the industry. They are one of three charities the BBA encourages staff to support through personal and group initiatives.

Deborah takes up the story: “I fell in love with open water swimming during lockdown when I couldn’t access the pool at the gym,” she explains. “But mostly I “swimble” up in the Lake District (this is a wander around with a dip) with a group that I formed of like-minded people so I decided I wanted to give myself the challenge of proper swimming.

“I’ve done a couple of indoor “Swimathons” but nothing official in open water.”

“Recently, my friend’s son of 27 lost his life to suicide,

so I am swimming in Chris’s memory.”

The Great North Swim is described as ‘a weekend-long celebration of open water swimming’ at Windermere in the Lake District, with events from 250 metres up to 10k available to take part in over the weekend of 9-11 June this year. Deborah and her friend Lorraine are aiming to complete a one mile swim which is equivalent to 64 lengths of a 25m pool, and training is already in full swing.

“I’m currently doing at least 2 pool swims a week and 1 open water swim,” says Deborah. “The main part of the training is swimming in a wetsuit, which may be required if the water temperature doesn’t get to 15 degrees. This is harder than swimming “skins” and does require getting used to.”

Lighthouse Club is a charity that has increased in prominence recently as the construction industry continues to uncover people who have serious challenges with mental health, and Deborah highlights she has experience of this close to home.

“I have become aware of Lighthouse Club over the last few years as they tackle the challenges of mental health within the construction industry head-on and try to remove the stigma,” she explains. “Recently, my friend’s son of 27 lost his life to suicide, so I am swimming in Chris’s memory.

“Open water swimming has been life-changing for me,” Deborah adds. “I’ve made a group of new friends which supports and encourages each other. It has also made me consider my own mental health and well-being, which, in fact, inspired me to take the role here at the BBA and re-prioritise my work/life balance.”

Deborah already has a taste for open water swimming events and hints there may be more to come after this one.

“We are talking about doing a Great Lake District challenge,” she notes, “this is where you swim in as many different lakes in a weekend as possible. Watch this space.” 😊

Deborah’s fundraising will support Lighthouse Club on behalf of the BBA and will count towards our annual charitable fund that we highlight at the end of the year.

We are proud of you, Deborah!  Good luck, from all of us at the BBA!

To support Deborah’s efforts, please visit her JustGiving page: Deborah Orr is fundraising for Lighthouse Club (justgiving.com)