BPAA President completes Bristol Channel Swim

He might be slightly crazy but on 9th August the Bristol Property Agents Association (BPAA) president, Rob Russell, swam the Bristol Channel unaided!!

Rob completed his solo Bristol Channel Swim, which took him from Cardiff to Clevedon in 5 hours 19 mins which is one of the fastest times ever recorded! As the crow flies it is 11 miles (17.7K) but due to the tides on the day he actually swam 14.5 miles (23.2K)!!

It was an early start to the day as Rob set off at 5.45am (about an hour before high tide) and was guided across the channel by a qualified pilot with support from John Sisman and Julian Barclay. The Bristol Channel is the second highest tidal range in the world, so it is a treacherous stretch of water. He had a feed/drink every half hour along the route but was not allowed to touch the boat or have any assistance, as it needs to be an unaided swim.

Rob Russell

It was a huge effort but has all been made worth it as he has raised over £5,000 so far for The Malcolm Gunter Foundation and Children's Hospice South West!!

There is still chance to donate if you haven't yet, and every little counts, no matter how large or small the amount!

Donate on Just Giving

More Recent News

Bristol re-gears itself for a bright future

Read Article

9th March 2026

Bristol re-gears itself for a bright future

In last year’s review, our outgoing President described Bristol as “Rising to the challenge of uncertain times”. Twelve months on and some uncertainties remain… particularly at global and national levels. But, for …

Thank You for Joining Us for the 79th BPAA Annual Dinner

Read Article

4th March 2026

Thank You for Joining Us for the 79th BPAA Annual Dinner

What an incredible evening we had at the Bristol Property Agents Association (BPAA) 79th Annual Dinner last week! It was fantastic to bring together so many colleagues, partners, and friends from across the region’s …

Total amount raised for charity since 2014:

£244,305

This year, we are proud supporters of the following charities