A swimmer from East Sheen is taking on the River Thames as part of her ’40 challenges to celebrate turning 40 this year’.

Elisabeth Galvin, a writer from Moor Park, has been training hard for a 14km marathon swim from Henley-on-Thames to Marlow, which she can cross off her list on August 6.

The mother-of-two is using the swim to raise money for a clean-water projects charity, Frank Water, which ‘is close to her heart’ and aims to improve people’s access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in India and Nepal.

Mrs Galvin said: “The challenge is part of my list of 40 challenges I wanted to do before turning 41 next June.

“I had such a buzz still from taking part in a relay crossing from England to France with my sister and four others in July I just looked at what other challenge I could do next and add to my list.

“I grew up in Bray and we would always go and see the ducks on the river and living in East Sheen near the Thames means I’ve really enjoyed training in the river.

“I guess it is an area I am affectionate about.”

Training up to two hours, a day, in both a swimming pool and outdoors, without a wetsuit, the athlete has raised £145, so far, to reach her £400 target for the charity.

“I love open-water swimming and after the relay I just thought what can I do next,” added the novelist.

“Being a swimmer and getting to swim in clean water, it is awful to think others can’t in parts of the world and also as a mother thinking of those children who die because of bad water hygiene is horrible.”

In 2002, the writer, took on the English Channel, making it across the pond as the first female, in 10hours and 51 minutes, two minutes behind the first man home.

The mother said: “I did a lot of training every weekend in Dover for it and my longest practice swim was for 10 hours.

“It is more of a mental challenge than physical because you have to just train your mind to zone out.”