MAY I convey my most grateful thanks to a good many people who supported my son, John Lowry, of Yates Hay Road, Malvern, in his bid to raise money for The Rainbow Trust, Malvern, last Wednesday by a sponsored swim of 12 hours.

The Rainbow Trust is a local group of deaf mothers and their hearing/deaf children, who meet regularly to chat and be sociable and give mutual support, where they would feel "out of place" in an ordinary mothers-and-toddlers group of hearing people. They have little money to provide facilities and toys, and little recognition or help.

My son would admit himself that he is no sportsman and has not done any "serious" swimming. The Malvern Gazette interviewed him several weeks ago and he made no bones about the fact that a few lengths of a pool and social swimming with friends was as much as he had ever done.

The concern and care of the management and staff at the Malvern Splash on the day of John's swim and their regular checking on his welfare, making sure he felt well and was fit to continue, had enough intake of water to combat dehydration etc, touched me deeply.

They had already been generous by allowing him free access to the pool in the previous two months to train. In addition, on the appeal of a kind member of the public, the staff made announcements over the tannoy at regular intervals during the late afternoon and evening, when the pool was at its busiest, appealing to the public for donations to support The Rainbow Trust. That most generous public raised the marvellous sum of £80 in just a few hours.

His two loyal friends, Paul and Anthony, stayed with him for hour after hour "lapping" and timing him, until I could finally get there myself at 4pm. I stayed with my son until he climbed out of the pool at 8pm after what I consider to be one hell of an achievement.

During the time I was taking my turn at timing him, many members of the public came up to me interested in what he was trying to achieve. Thank you all for your wonderful help and generous contributions.

MRS HELEN LOWRY, Woodbury Rise, Malvern.