A SOUTHAMPTON man plunged into cold waters with his friends to raise money for refugees and asylum seekers.
Ryan Buchanan, 38, from Bursledon, swam the distance of the English Channel in the River Hamble for the Action Foundation, a charity that helps refugees.
The fundraiser was launched by Ryan's university friend Duncan McAuley, who is the CEO of the Newcastle upon Tyne-based charity. 
For the challenge, Ryan and Duncan were joined by their other friends, Dan Gibson and Richard Longley, from Leeds, and Andy Burke, from California.
Initially, the group was due to swim from Dover to Calais, but due to poor weather conditions in the Channel, the team had to swim in the river Hamble.
Ryan, who is an Associate Professor of Hepatology at the University of Southampton, said: "Obviously we’re gutted that we couldn’t do the Channel swim, but we always knew that it would be weather-dependent.
He added: "We’d considered swimming the equivalent distance in an indoor pool, but we’re keen to do it in cold open water to make it a tougher challenge."
The Southampton man often spends his weekends swimming and sailing with his wife, Hannah.
Ryan added: "I’ve done some of my practice swims in the Hamble, so this is familiar territory for me – but new for the rest of the team.
"It’ll be great to introduce them to the beauty of this part of the world."
The group took the plunge from Manor Farm Pontoon on the River Hamble and swam upriver on a two-mile loop, which they repeated until the 21-mile distance of the channel was completed.
The team undertook the challenge on Thursday, May 26 at 9.30pm and finished it by midnight, and they successfully raised a grand total of £5,000.
On the achievement, Ryan said: "It’s fantastic to be able to raise awareness of these issues and get behind the work of the Action Foundation.
"I am feeling very pleased to take part in this challenge and raise money for them.
"It is incredibly important to help individuals who cross the channel and are seeking refuge.
"We want to support them by helping them integrate into society."
To support Action's cause, visit: actionfoundation.enthuse.com/cf/swim-for-refugees
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