Taking the plunge to help people bereaved or affected by suicide, Gloucestershire charity Sunflowers Suicide Support will be overseeing a swim to France and back in a special event later this month.

Belinda Wilson, organiser, told Punchline-Glos.com that a crack team of 29 swimmers who regularly meet at Cheltenham Ladies' College will to attempting to cover the distance from Dover to Calais and back in a two-hour slot on March 17.

Through sponsorship for their efforts, they hope to raise vital funds for Sunflowers Suicide Support - and every donation will be doubled by funding from the Eggleston Charitable Foundation.

Belinda said: "It sounds tough, as a total distance of 67.6km, which comes out as 2,704 lengths. But we think we can do it and every penny raised will go directly to help families and friends who are affected by suidice."

Now eight years into fundraising, Sunflowers Suicide Support was created in 2016 in reaction to the tragic loss of Pete Morris, who took his own life in September that year at just 29 years old.

Belinda explained: "The Morris family, after experiencing the profound impact of suicide, identified significant gaps in support and understanding. They founded Sunflowers with a clear mission - to bridge these service gaps with person-centered care."

Belinda's inspiration for the event and helping the charity came from direct experience of the impact of suicide.

She said: "Nobody wants to receive that phone call. The one where you hear that a loved one has taken their own life. I know exactly where and when I heard that my dad had died. I was 20 years old and had just finished my degree final exams.

"In those days, there was no support. I tried to find some and even the GP couldn't help. What Gloucestershire charity Sunflowers Suicide Support do to help people bereaved and affected by suicide is invaluable, which is why your donation matters."

Swimmers limbering up for the #SwimForSunflowers challenge range in age from 18 to 80.

Support for the event can be pledged through this Just Giving page.

● Further fundraising events this year also include a Quiz for Sunflowers, on Wednesday, April 17, while a Raffle for Sunflowers and Cambodia Trek for Sunflowers are also planned.