Stephen’s Great North Swim for His Nan, Alma

Stephen has already raised an incredible £1,257 for Together Dementia Support, and there’s still time to donate before he takes on his challenge in June 2026. On Saturday, 13th June 2026, Stephen will swim two miles in the Great North Swim, tackling the open waters of Lake Windermere for the very first time.

He is swimming in memory of his nan, Alma Green.

Stephen and Alma

“In many ways, she was more like a mum to me.”

Alma wasn’t just Stephen’s grandmother.

“She was my nan, but in many ways she was more like a mum to me, as I lost my mum when I was very young. She always cared for me, supported me, and encouraged me to push myself and believe in what I could do.”

Alma lived with dementia for many years, a journey Stephen describes as “long and incredibly difficult”, both for her and for everyone who loved her. Her loss had a profound impact: “After she passed away, I really struggled with my mental health.”

Finding strength through swimming

In the midst of grief, Stephen began to reflect on the way Alma had always looked after him and decided to honour that by looking after himself.

“As part of my recovery from that grief, I drew strength from her resilience and the way she faced life. I made a conscious decision to start looking after myself in the way she always looked after me.”

“Re-engaging with swimming became an act of self-care. I joined a gym, started working with a PT, and focused on rebuilding my physical and mental well-being.”

Now, he is pushing himself further than ever before.

“This will be my first ever open-water challenge, and the first time I’ve ever done anything like this.”

“The more I can raise, the better.”

Stephen originally set a fundraising target of £1,000. He has already surpassed that goal, raising £1,257, with time still left before race day.

“I’ve set myself a minimum fundraising target of £1,000, but genuinely the more I can raise, the better, so that as much support as possible can go towards people living with dementia and their families.”

Supporting local, making a real difference

Choosing Together Dementia Support was an intentional decision.

“I chose Together Dementia Support because you’re a local Manchester charity. As someone who works for a local charity myself, I really wanted to support another local organisation where the impact of the money would genuinely be felt. It was important to me that the funds go to a smaller, community-based charity where they can directly support people living with dementia and their families.”

We are incredibly grateful to Stephen for sharing his story so openly and for turning personal loss into hope and support for others.

If you would like to support Stephen before he takes to the water in June, there is still time to donate via his JustGiving page.

Stephen, we’re all behind you. 💚