A HELENSBURGH woman has signed up to tackle the Great Scottish Swim in memory of her friend and to raise money for charity.

Karen Graham, 44, will be joined by Gemma Dixon, 37, from Hampshire and Jonathan Haswell, 57, from London for the swim in August.

The fourth member of the team, known as Team Buchanan, has already completed his leg of the challenge. Andy Parr, 49, from Barnsley, took part in the Great North Swim earlier in the year.

The brave four are raising money for MIND, the mental health charity, after losing their friend, cameraman Chris Buchanan, ten years ago.

Karen said: “Chris was a beloved husband, father-to-be and a wonderful friend to all of us who the pleasure to know and work alongside him.

“With the blessing of Chris’ wife and his daughter, we are raising money for MIND, a charity that provides support, help and advice ensuring that no one should have to face a mental health problem alone.

“At Chris’ funeral, the family collected for MIND which, at the time, was only one of a small number of mental health charities in existence.”

Karen, Gemma and Jonathan will all be swimming one mile in Loch Lomond on Saturday, August 26, which will see Karen take part for the third year in a row.

Karen said: “I entered the Great Scottish Swim two years to raise money for dementia in support of my dad, who suffers from the illness.

"He used to be a swimming teacher and he taught me how to swim.

“After the first year, I was hooked and have entered every year since then.”

Although open water swimming isn't new to Karen, it is new to her teammates Gemma and Jonathan but Karen believes entering the event as a group has helped them with the training process.

She said: “Open water swimming is new to the rest of the team but they’ve risen to the challenge and completely embraced it.”

“We update each other on anything and everything, from tips on how to get in and out of a wetsuit, to just letting each other know how training is going.

“Andy was messaging us saying he was more nervous about erecting the tent for the Great North Swim than the actual swim!

“It’s been very helpful just sending each other messages to help motivate us for our training.”

Although the group have had each other to keep them motivated the biggest driving force helping them to stay on track has been their shared memories of Chris.

Karen said: “We felt that a swim was such an appropriate tribute to Chris’ love of the outsiders.

“He was such a keen swimmer and a canoeist; everyone said he was an adventurer.”

Team Buchanan have set up a virgin money giving page with the aim of raising as much as they can for MIND.

The page reads: "Those of us who worked with Chris knew him as an incredibly talented cameraman, working on a whole range of programmes including Match of the Day, The Olympics and Winter Olympics, The British Grand Prix and countless more.

"Not only was Chris brilliant at his job, but he was also a wonderful friend to all of us who had the pleasure to know him and work alongside him. He is still in our thoughts and very much missed."

The page has already raised £1,825 but with time before the event the group are hopeful that that figure will increase. To support Karen and the team visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/displaySomeoneSpecialPage.action?pageUrl=TeamBuchanan

Entry for The Great Scottish Swim on Saturday, August 26 is now open and people can sign up for distances of half a mile, a mile, two miles, 5k and 10k.

To sign up visit http://www.greatrun.org/great-swim/great-scottish-swim