Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

Throughout the time that I’ve led Dover Channel Training (DCT), I have taken advice from others on various matters. 2020 was a particularly challenging season with COVID-19 impacting the whole world and also how we could safely run training. It was more important than ever to get it right. I called on a group that I now call my SLT to work through ideas and options.

This group, all swimmers, have differing backgrounds in swimming and work. They represent an excellent blend of skills and perspectives.

By working as a group we have come up with solutions that no one of us would have created working independently. I have valued their input, ideas, creativity and passion for helping people achieve amazing outcomes.

 
 

Mig Arbide

Mig first swam with DCT in 2017 as part of his training for a solo event. That same year he joined us in the FudgegateFugitives channel relay and other relay adventures have followed that in subsequent years.

Many of you will know Mig through the medicals that he does. I suspect he has now done more Channel Swimming medicals than any other doctor. He certainly kept channel swimming going during the Covid years when swimmers lost access to NHS GPs for non-essential appointments.

Kevin Mullarkey

There are definitely two sides to Kevin. Don’t let the joker and fun lover fool you into thinking he’s not to be taken seriously. By day, Kevin is a director in an impressive construction company, not your local builder type, they run very large construction contracts in both public and private sectors. He most definitely knows his stuff, and not just construction, he knows about how to run a business too.

Kevin joined DCT in 2016 for his first tentative dip and came back and became a familiar face in 2017 when he embarked on his first attempt at a channel solo. It was not to be that year and after nearly 20 hours in the water, the swim was ended by the pilot. Kevin was airlifted from that swim and spent a period of time in hospital, probably with SIPE. Amazingly, Kevin went on to complete a channel relay that same season. He also came back and had another attempt at the channel in 2019, on this occasion he got blown out from his tide and ended up swimmer late in October. All was going well during daylight and when the dark descended, so did the air temperature and the swim came to an end.

There’s always a story with Kevin, so I know that these stories are just part of his journey and that he will be back and will make it to France.

If you want a funny story, ask him about why he won’t eat green jelly babies or how many fingers of fudge he hid on the pilot boat during the 2017 relay!

Jill Tipping

Jill is a director of Pavelka limited where she has has teamed up with TV Fitness Expert and Well-Being Specialist, Jessie Pavelka, to launch a range of products and services bringing health and well being to individuals, groups and corporates.

Jill joined DCT in 2017 when she made an attempt at a channel solo. It was not to be that year, but I suspect Jill will be back before long to claim her French pebble. In 2018, Jill spent most of the season on the beach giving back as a volunteer and was particularly proud to earn her virtual lubing badge (virtual because we don’t actually have a lubing badge!!).

Jill quickly became known as Topsy Tipping due to apparent challenges with remaining vertical on pebbles at feeding time! That almost extended to staying in the kayak (or not), almost!

Jill has been key in helping us review the financial aspects of the business to ensure that what we have created is sustainable as the scale of what we have today is completely different to that of the past.

Paul James

Paul has a really varied professional background with many aspects that have been useful to DCT. Whilst his programme management expertise is always useful, it is his yachtmaster qualifications that have proved most relevant when it comes to interpreting tides, weather, conditions etc. As for his kayaking skills, these have been appreciated by many because it has enabled us to do safe and effective deep water feeding. He also has a musical background, which has been very useful when it comes to running the sound system at the seminars, talking loudly would have become more and more challenging with the size of audience that we have grown to,

Paul wasn’t an open water swimmer when I met him, he had swum in a pool as a child, but not open water. In fact when we were in Jersey waiting for my Round Jersey swim, we went for a dip with the club. The water was probably 16-17C, it was fine, Paul’s body did not agree and there was much hyperventilating! Fast forward to now and Paul now has an impressive three channel relays and a Jersey to France solo to his name.

Paul starting helping out periodically on the beach in 2017, then spent 2018 and 2020 as beach crew. In 2019 he took a break from the beach to train for his Jersey to France swim. From 2021,Paul will be one of our pod leaders.

Word to the wise, when it comes to packing the car, there is a very particular way this is done. With the amount of kit that we move to the beach each weekend, it is a fine art to fit it all in. I challenge you to fit it in as well!

Mandi Bodemeaid

Mandi is a senior manager in a charity (Kent Association for the Blind). Anyone who works in the charity sector is used to going the extra mile, to making what you have go a long way and doing the very best for those you are there to help. Mandi also has a shared background with me in that we were both trampolining coaches (though she was far better than I could ever aspire to). Her coaching experience is evident in the way that she teases the best performances out of people.

After her 3 person relay in 2016, Mandi gave back and volunteered on the beach in 2017, 2018 and 2020. She was a lifeline to me, enabling me to also swim, safe in the knowledge that we had capable cover on the beach. From 2021, Mandi will be one of our pod leaders.

It is Mandi that introduced themes, a great and innovative way to have fun and build community whilst helping people expect the unexpected.

Watch out for Mandi minutes though!!

So as you can clearly see, we have a real mix of backgrounds within the SLT with a few common threads running through:

  1. All have given back to the sport before or after their big swims

  2. All have a desire to enable people to achieve their very best

  3. All have professional skills that are different and complimentary, enabling us to avoid group think and to challenge the status quo.

Between us we aim to provide the best possible training offering in a way that is professional and sustainable. We will follow the science. We will make it fun. We want success for you as much as you want it for yourself.