Mark’s Story: Why I swam the length of Chesil Beach for Weldmar

On Saturday 12th July 2025, Mark undertook a huge challenge, and Swam the 18 miles of Chesil beach raising £6,000 in memory of his Dad, David Greensit, who received care in Weldmar’s Inpatient Unit the year before.

The challenge was particularly meaningful to Mark and his family.

“Dad was a fisherman in the 1960s, which is something he reflected on in his final few weeks, being just a kid and having nothing to worry about other than catching mackerel. I wanted something to focus on, and loved the idea of doing something big for a charity that meant so much to him. One day I was looking at the view out of my attic conversion – that me and Dad had been in the process of building together – that I could swim Chesil!”

After discussing it with family and friends, Mark decided he would regret it if he didn’t take the opportunity: “I created a Just Giving page, and had my first sponsor within a minute of setting it up, so I thought ‘Well, this is happening now!'”

Giving back for ‘incredible’ care

Mark says that Weldmar were there during a very difficult time for the family, and David’s care at the Inpatient Unit made such a difference: “Weldmar came along and they just helped incredibly in that situation. My dad was struggling to manage the pain, so when he got to Weldmar, it became his safe space. He felt instantly at home, and that he could relax.

“He got a spring back in his step too, where he could socialise again. The pain was managed. He really connected with the nurses there, and it was nice to see him back.”

For us, visiting daily for long hours, we were really well accommodated for too, in terms of sleeping arrangements and food, and interaction with the nurses. It was incredible. We were kept fully clued up on what was happening, and there was care for Dad 24/7.

Support and motivation for the challenge

“I had Weldmar’s full support right from the start, and Clare (from Weldmar’s fundraising team, pictured top with Mark) was always checking in on how I was doing. When doubt started kicking in the week before, she really reaffirmed why I was doing it. That conversation meant a lot to me.

“Although it was a big thing to take on, especially at such a challenging time dealing with grief, it gave everyone a bit of a focus, including my mum, which is my favourite thing.

Just keep swimming!

Mark set off at 4am from West Bay. For six hours, the spring tide helping him along: “I was so much faster than I anticipated and it was magic. I was just gliding through the water, it was amazing. I was enjoying it so much! People were on the shore and coming into the water and joining me for a bit, but I knew that eventually the tide would turn”

When it did, the wind changed direction too, making the swim more difficult, and the finish line in the distance felt like it wasn’t getting any closer. During one of the tougher stretches, Mark was really pleased to see an old school friend for support.

“Dan is one of my oldest friends, I was really struggling at that point and I was so happy to see him, it chokes me up now thinking about it. He was like ‘hey, you know what you’re doing, come on!’ He knew my dad really well as well, his dad and my dad were best mates. My support team were just as crucial to the operation as me. My mum, sister, and good friends. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

Mark also took advice and inspiration from other swimmers, locally and otherwise, with a particular quote from Ultra Marathon Swimmer, Ross Edgley, sticking in his mind: ‘Be naive enough to start, stubborn enough to finish, and bold enough to go even further.’

A ‘beautiful’ sense of achievement

“As soon as I got to the cove it was like ‘this is it, the final stretch’. Clare had set up Weldmar flags like a finishing gate on the beach that I swam straight past, because I had a particular finishing point in my head. So I swam and touched that stone, and then got out of the water and hobbled to the actual finishing line.

“It was crazy because I was swimming and then one person was walking with me, two people were walking with me, and it just escalated to quite a large number of friends and family. Random people who were enjoying their time on the beach were shouting their support, so the closer I got to civilisation, the more people got involved. I got to the end and it was surreal. There were hundreds of people just shouting.

“I can’t explain how it was getting to the end. I was centre stage for a bit. Representing Weldmar, representing my dad, dealing with grief, and people really connected to it. People reached out afterwards and really understood the challenge and what I was going through. It was beautiful, it really was.”

Our thanks to Mark for not only fundraising through this incredible challenge, but for sharing the story of why supporting Weldmar was so important to him.

If you would like to share your story of Weldmar’s care for a loved one, please contact james.oneill@weld-hospice.org.uk.