Yes you read that right - COOWS.  Not a typo.  Not some weird genetic throwback of the bovine species, but the Cotswold Outdoor Open Water Swim team, or COOWS for short.  Particularly apt, some may say, for three girls working at Cotswold Outdoor head office!

We have decided to do a series of one mile swims this year, and the Blue Mile is the first!  COOWS are swimming one mile from the waterfront at Plymouth on 3rd July 2010 in a race for the environment.  We are raising money for WWF, the conservation charity that believes in a future where people and nature thrive.  We want to raise enough money to make a difference in order to help conserve the marine environment we each love to play in!

We have been training in Lake 32 at Cotswold Water Park, braving icy water, a plethora of weed (which makes for classic comedy moments when entangled) and duck poo...  More pictures and training anecdotes to follow!

We have already been supported by Orca, who very kindly donated a Project Kaisei (www.projectkaisei.org) wetsuit to each of us in order to raise awareness for the 'plastic vortex' where plastic and other waste materials in the ocean threaten to kill marine life and enter our (and their!) food chain. 

But we would really love your support - any contribution is most welcome, no matter how small, and you will be donating to the COOWS team, rather than us badgering you as individuals!  Our aim is to raise at least £250, which could pay towards enabling survey work on Hebridean Whale and Dolphins to be carried out and support their protection. 

So please dig deep and donate now online at www.justgiving.com/COOWS.  Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  Wish us luck!