TWO grandmothers, who dub themselves ‘The Gangsta Grannies’, are swimming the English Channel and back again to support vulnerable women and children in Dorset.

Borrowing their nickname from David Walliams’ popular children’s book, Ali Budynkiewicz and Lisa North will be swimming in relay, taking it in turns to swim two hour shifts from Dover to France, and back again, in August.

They are fundraising for Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), a housing and social care support provider which helps homeless and vulnerable people.

All the money the Gangsta Grannies raise will go to the Women’s Refuge in Bournemouth. It provides activities, days out, sporting and art materials for the children of women affected by domestic violence.

Lisa said: “The Gangsta Grannies want to provide a lovely family day out for these vulnerable women and children so they can forget all their troubles, even if it’s just for one day.

“This is something that these families are not normally able to do so we want to make their day a happy and fun-filled one, just like many of us take for granted.”

The duo have been training hard for three years for the challenge and have personally covered all the costs for the swim themselves, which includes three pilots, three observers, hire of the boat and payment to the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation, to ensure that every penny raised will go directly to the refuge.

Ali added: “Our aim is to, in some way, enable children to experience fun with their family, and raise their self-esteem and confidence for the future. The work that BCHA does is truly wonderful, and together we are committed to ensuring positive outcomes for children who have lived through or witnessed violence in their home, which should be a safe and nurturing place for them.”

After setting up their JustGiving fundraising page a few weeks ago, the Gangsta Grannies have already hit 82 per cent of their original £1,000 target, just through donations from family and friends.

They are now on a mission to smash their target before the end of August.

It is anticipated that Lisa and Ali will be in the water about 30 hours in total, swimming in two hour shifts, with the ‘rest’ period spent recovering from the drop in core temperature and refuelling up to swim again. They will also have three helpers on the boat to dress and feed them, as well as to help them get warm again between swims.

“We are training very hard, although the sea isn't very warm yet,” Lisa said, “but at least there are no jelly fish at the moment.”

To donate to the Gangsta Grannies, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/gangstagrannies