TWO friends from Southend and Harlow took to the sea to on Saturday 29^th June, to help raise £288,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in the 2024 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim.  

Jo Good, a swimming coach, and friend Emma Luck joined 1,200 wetsuit clad swimmers taking on the 1.4-mile swim between Bournemouth and Boscombe Pier to help the BHF fund ground-breaking research into new treatments and cures for heart and circulatory diseases.  

The duo raised £150 by taking on the challenge, which is one of the largest open water swimming events in Europe.  It’s not surprising that the duo did so well, since their surnames spell ‘good luck’. 

They zipped up their wetsuits and snapped on their googles because Emma lost her godfather, John Denahy, to a sudden heart attack and this is the third year that she’ll have swam for the BHF. This year, she was joined by her friend, Jo, who spoke highly of her brilliant experience taking on a challenge and even saw a jellyfish. The pair hope to inspire more people to join the swim. 

Getting back onto dry land at the finish line on bustling Boscombe Beach, Emma said: “Taking part in the 2024 Bournemouth Pier to Pier for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) was such a huge challenge and an incredible experience. The atmosphere was so much fun. Being surrounded by people all swimming for the same cause was amazing, and everyone was so encouraging, it made me even more determined to power on to the finish.”     

Jo added: “The research that the BHF does makes such a difference to the 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases, so I’m proud to know I’m doing as much as I can to support their amazing work to help fund the next big scientific breakthrough.”  

Since it was first held in 1992, more than 34,000 people have taken part in the BHF’s Pier to Pier swim. Now in its 33^rd year, the event has raised around £4 million for research into heart and circulatory conditions.   

Sponsors JAZZ™ Apples, made sure they were at the core of the event with their fruitful new addition to Bournemouth beach, their giant apple buoy. 

Kate Sparks, Senior Events Manager at the BHF, added: “It’s fantastic to see Emma and Jo’s passion and determination in helping us fund lifesaving research. Without the support of people like Emma and Jo, we wouldn’t be able to help revolutionise treatments and transform the lives of millions of people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK.      

“For those who are feeling inspired, entries are now open for next year’s Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim, so we’d urge everyone to take the plunge now to help us fund vital research to save and improve more lives.”       

To find sign up to Bournemouth Pier to Pier 2025 visit: Bournemouth Pier to Pier 

Editor’s Note: We do apologise for late publication of this story.