Dr Emma Watson, Department Operations Manager for Earth Science and Engineering, is swimming the English Channel to raise awareness of endometriosis.

Emma credits the College’s flexible working policy for allowing her to undertake the training required for her epic team swim.

Since the Channel swim season opened in June, Emma has been waiting for the call. The three-person team had been scheduled to swim in the first week of July, but were delayed due to bad weather. Emma will set off at 1am on 26 October from the shore at Dover, one of the latest groups to go in 2017.

Emma has demonstrated that she’s ready to swim, and also willing to raise awareness of endometriosis, by taking a series of photos of her “waiting for the call” to start the swim.

The support from the college has facilitated Emma to not only train for this cold water swim, but also to share positive examples of exercise and body image. From the Earth Science and Engineering Department, we congratulate her on her rigorous cold-water training and her bravery, and wish her and her team the best of luck in getting to France.

Waiting for the call on the beautiful steps of the Royal School of Mines where Emma works

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women, including Emma; there are probably another 28 women affected by endometriosis within the Earth Science and Engineering department which has 295 female students and staff. Emma is delighted to have the support of colleagues to demonstrate what these numbers might look like. Pictured here are 28 women that Emma knows from Earth Science and Engineering and the wider College. They have all agreed to be in the photograph to help demonstrate quite how many women the condition could affect. Photo by Shane Young.

Bus stop photo by Laura Ward @laurakiora