Beech Hall School is celebrating an extraordinary triumph as sixteen-year-old pupil, Rory Kaye, successfully completed a solo swim across the English Channel.

In a formidable feat that tested the very limits of endurance, Rory conquered the 21-mile stretch of treacherous waters in an impressive 13 hours and 32 minutes. Setting off for the coast of France in the early hours under a shroud of darkness, he navigated the notoriously demanding Channel with remarkable perseverance, even battling through stings from jellyfish during his final hour in the water.

Rory’s accomplishment was the culmination of months of intensive training and preparation. His rigorous schedule included ten two-hour relay qualifying swims, four six-hour solo swims, and two eight-hour solo swims, alongside cold-water conditioning. After turning sixteen, Rory faced a 27-day wait for suitable weather conditions before finally setting off from the white cliffs of Samphire Hoe beach.

The swim was completed in aid of Mencap, a charity dedicated to supporting people with learning disabilities. Through his incredible effort, Rory has raised over £10,000, with the goal of funding a full year’s swimming programme for SEND children under the age of five in the Manchester area. The programme will cover the costs of pool hire, a lifeguard, and a qualified disability swimming coach, helping to provide young children with access to vital opportunities in a safe and supportive environment.

James Allen, Headmaster at Beech Hall School, commented: “Rory’s achievement is nothing short of inspirational. This was a feat of superior physical endurance, mental strength, determination and resilience.

“Channel relay swimming is tough, but thirteen and a half hours continuous swimming and a virtual straight line to the French coast is testament to the thousands of hours of training, the thousands of kilometres swum in pools, lakes and seas, and the commitment and dedication not just of Rory, but the coaching team around him. It is the sheer bloody-mindedness of a young man who decided he was going to swim solo, immediately after completing his first relay crossing, aged just 13. We are exceptionally proud.”