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Tony Bryant
Malaga
Friday, 2 August 2024, 13:51
The chaplain of St Andrew's Costa del Sol East, which covers Fuengirola, Calahonda, Benalmádena, Coín and Alhaurín el Grande, has begun an ambitious initiative to raise funds for the upkeep of the parish he joined in December 2023. Reverend William Small, who completed his curacy training under the tutelage of Father Louis Darrant of St George's church in Malaga, will participate in a total of 11 'travesías a nado' open-water swimming competitions along the Costa del Sol until the beginning of October.
Although the 66-year-old reverend is a competent swimmer (he took part in four events on the coast last year), the fact that he has to contend with health issues has made him even more determined to complete his current campaign.
Born in Zambia, William has lived in several other countries and worked in many more as a hydrogeologist, before he felt God calling him to full-time ministry. He arrived to live in Spain with his Swedish wife, Lissi, who he met in South Africa, in the summer of 2021, although the couple had previously lived on the Costa from 2006 until 2011.
William, who is also the chaplain for the District Spain South of the Royal British Legion, has spent this year dedicating his time to St Andrew's, and, in particular, raising funds to improve it.
The primary motive behind his current fundraising effort is "to keep the chaplaincy afloat", seeing as, unlike parishes in the UK, "all our costs are paid for by us alone, so fundraising is a constant ongoing challenge".
"We need to raise funds for the day-to-day running costs. We survive off donations and the good will of everybody. We have to continue to fundraise, and I just thought I would give this a go and see what happens. The response has been absolutely incredible," William tells SUR in English.
The athletic chaplain began his competitive swimming last month, when he participated in the race in Estepona, in which he came first in the over-61 category. He is now faced with ten more competitions in Vélez-Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Marbella, Fuengirola, Torrox, Torremolinos, Nerja, Benalmádena and two in Malaga.
Due to injuries incurred playing rugby at school before the age of 16, his training programme is limited to swimming three times a week, around 1,500 metres each time; he also attends weight-training sessions "as often as possible", although, as he points out, "I have to be very careful not to push myself too hard".
"My days playing rugby have left me with issues with my left knee, right foot and my lower back. For most of my life they haven't really bothered me too much, but by the time I got to 61, they had become prominent features of my life. I can't run at all, and I walk with a pronounced limp. But there is one thing I can do and which I love doing, and that is to swim. It started as part of rehabilitation for my lower back in 1995, and I haven't stopped since," he explains.
William, who has also competed in several master swimming contests, has what he describes as a "dicky ticker", although he is determined not to let this, or his rugby injuries, dampen his spirits.
"I developed an electrical fault in the heart which leaves me out of breath. It's called paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), or episodes of a rapid heart rate, which most often start and stop suddenly. I have not had any problems since 2016, although a couple of months ago I had an episode, so I had to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Keeping my balance getting out of the sea onto the beach on my feet, rather than on my hands and knees, is a major concern for me," he says, smiling.
One of the aspects that the chaplain does not have to be concerned about is the actual fundraising, because his original target of 1,370 euros (ten cents per metre swum) was surpassed in the first two days of the campaign, and he has already reached 75 per cent of the new target of 2,940 euros (20 cents per metre swum).
"I was absolutely stunned and delighted at the generosity of the response to this campaign when we blew through the original target within two days, and now the total is well over that," he says.
His next race will take place in Vélez-Málaga this Saturday 3 August, and William has his eye set on another first place.
"I know that this is an ambitious challenge for any 66-year-old, but I love swimming, and I pray that Our Lord will keep me fit, safe and healthy. I am truly blessed to be able to swim and enjoy it so much.
"I would like to offer my profound thanks to everybody, because the support shown has been so generous," he concludes.
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