Sussex power worker’s ‘Channel challenge’ for Diabetes UK
A Crawley accountant has begun powering across the English Channel and back four times for Diabetes UK – without leaving dry land.
Emma House, a project accountant at UK Power Networks, is swimming, rowing, running and cycling the distance from England to France and back to raise £500 for the charity, covering a total distance of 176 miles.
Taking on Diabetes UK’s Swim22 challenge for the fourth year running – which sees participants swim the distance of the Channel – this year Emma has stepped up the difficulty-factor. Her goal is to complete 44 miles of each activity by the end of June. The challenge will see her swim approximately 2,900 lengths of her local pool, and spend around 44 hours switching between rowing, running and cycling machines.
UK Power Networks will match the funds she raises up to £100.
Emma, from Salfords, in Surrey, said: “I’m not tempted to swim the actual English Channel, as I’m not a strong swimmer, but I am making the challenge harder by adding rowing this year. I’m a sucker for punishment!”
Emma describes her eight training sessions per week as intense alongside a full-time job, horse riding as a dressage competitor and caring for dogs. “Fitting it all in will be the biggest challenge,” she said. “I’m hoping it will improve my fitness and posture.”
After a workplace health check revealed high blood sugar levels, Emma was more motivated than ever to support Diabetes UK’s work to prevent type 2 diabetes. She said: “It can be easy to develop higher blood sugar levels without realising, and making changes later on can feel challenging. That’s why understanding your risk early is so important. Prevention is always better than trying to put type 2 diabetes into remission, so don’t think it will never happen to you or your children.”
Charlotte Gravett, interim head of South East Coast and London at Diabetes UK, said: “We are so grateful to Emma and wish her all the best for taking on Swim22 and the additional challenges in aid of Diabetes UK. Every pound raised will help us fund more research for new treatments, campaign for better care, and provide vital support for those living with or at risk of diabetes, through our helpline.”
Last year’s Swim22 challenge improved Emma’s fitness, although she admits it declined during the winter and her new goal has inspired her to work harder this year.
In Sussex 113,905 people are diagnosed with diabetes, 7.4% of the population. Nationally, 5.8 million people are living with diabetes in the UK, and a further 6.3 million are at risk of type 2 diabetes. The money raised by Swim22 will help Diabetes UK to continue to fund the development of life-changing treatments.
Type 2 diabetes leads to high blood sugar levels due to the body not making enough insulin, or the insulin it makes not working properly, known as insulin resistance. No one thing causes type 2 diabetes. It is caused by a combination of factors including genetics, age, ethnicity, bodyweight and where the body stores fat. The reasons someone develops it will be individual to them.
Last year UK Power Networks and Diabetes UK announced their new partnership, to raise awareness of the Priority Services Register and help support customers with diabetes, many of whom rely on electricity for safe storage of medications and essential medical equipment.
Visit Emma’s fundraising page.
Published: 07/04/2026
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Emma House, a project accountant at UK Power Networks, is swimming, rowing, running and cycling the distance from England to France and back to raise £500 for the charity, covering a total distance of 176 miles.
Taking on Diabetes UK’s Swim22 challenge for the fourth year running – which sees participants swim the distance of the Channel – this year Emma has stepped up the difficulty-factor. Her goal is to complete 44 miles of each activity by the end of June. The challenge will see her swim approximately 2,900 lengths of her local pool, and spend around 44 hours switching between rowing, running and cycling machines.
UK Power Networks will match the funds she raises up to £100.
Emma, from Salfords, in Surrey, said: “I’m not tempted to swim the actual English Channel, as I’m not a strong swimmer, but I am making the challenge harder by adding rowing this year. I’m a sucker for punishment!”
Emma describes her eight training sessions per week as intense alongside a full-time job, horse riding as a dressage competitor and caring for dogs. “Fitting it all in will be the biggest challenge,” she said. “I’m hoping it will improve my fitness and posture.”
After a workplace health check revealed high blood sugar levels, Emma was more motivated than ever to support Diabetes UK’s work to prevent type 2 diabetes. She said: “It can be easy to develop higher blood sugar levels without realising, and making changes later on can feel challenging. That’s why understanding your risk early is so important. Prevention is always better than trying to put type 2 diabetes into remission, so don’t think it will never happen to you or your children.”
Charlotte Gravett, interim head of South East Coast and London at Diabetes UK, said: “We are so grateful to Emma and wish her all the best for taking on Swim22 and the additional challenges in aid of Diabetes UK. Every pound raised will help us fund more research for new treatments, campaign for better care, and provide vital support for those living with or at risk of diabetes, through our helpline.”
Last year’s Swim22 challenge improved Emma’s fitness, although she admits it declined during the winter and her new goal has inspired her to work harder this year.
In Sussex 113,905 people are diagnosed with diabetes, 7.4% of the population. Nationally, 5.8 million people are living with diabetes in the UK, and a further 6.3 million are at risk of type 2 diabetes. The money raised by Swim22 will help Diabetes UK to continue to fund the development of life-changing treatments.
Type 2 diabetes leads to high blood sugar levels due to the body not making enough insulin, or the insulin it makes not working properly, known as insulin resistance. No one thing causes type 2 diabetes. It is caused by a combination of factors including genetics, age, ethnicity, bodyweight and where the body stores fat. The reasons someone develops it will be individual to them.
Last year UK Power Networks and Diabetes UK announced their new partnership, to raise awareness of the Priority Services Register and help support customers with diabetes, many of whom rely on electricity for safe storage of medications and essential medical equipment.
Visit Emma’s fundraising page.
Published: 07/04/2026
Back to news