When Sheila Wheatley was asked to join a sponsored dip in the Thames, she had to confess – “I can’t swim”.

The wives and daughters of Oxfordshire ambulance men had decided to swim from Folly Bridge to Iffley Lock in Oxford.

They assumed Mrs Wheatley would be keen to join them – until she revealed her well-kept secret.

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All was not lost, however – her husband, ambulanceman George, stepped forward to take her place among the service’s womenfolk.

He is pictured with Sue Seaman, left. and Wendy Fowler before they took to the water in 1976, watched by a group of wellwishers.

The swimmers that day also included two 12-year-olds, Carol Lambert and Kathryn Hutchinson, daughters of ambulance social club chairman Peter Hutchinson and club treasurer Robin Lambert.

One advantage of having Mr Wheatley in the water was that he was able to keep an eye on the swimmers, particularly the younger ones, and make sure they didn’t get into difficulty.

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Everyone swam as far as they could on three stages of the three-mile course, raising £40 towards a children’s swing at the ambulance social club at the Churchill Hospital.

Previously, three ambulancemen had completed the same course and raised £70 for the club’s children’s Christmas party.

The Churchill Hospital marked its 80th birthday in 2022.

Staff and volunteers marked the occasion with cakes and ice creams provided by Oxford Hospitals Charity.

The Churchill was founded by the Ministry of Health as an Emergency Medical Service hospital for local air raid casualties then at first it was leased to the medical services of the United States Army.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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