Dessy dives into the deep end for cancer care
FORESTRY Director Dessy Henry is pulling on his Speedos to complete a marathon swimming challenge for Scottish Woodlands’ chosen charity.
Dessy, who splits his working time between Scotland and Northern Ireland, will swim the distance of the Belfast-Cairnryan ferry between the two countries to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
That’s a mammoth 50 miles (or 80km), but rather than dodging jellyfish or cargo ships between the two ports, he is taking on the challenge in a swimming pool.
To complete the challenge by the end of September, Dessy will have to swim an astonishing 3,200 lengths of a normal 25-metre pool.
He explained: “I started in January and I have already covered 30km, so I’m very hopeful of hitting the target, but it is a very long distance to cover!"
“I travel a lot for my work on the ferry between Belfast and Cairnryan, in the south-west of Scotland, so it seemed like a good idea to choose that as a distance.”
The epic swim came about when colleagues challenged Dessy - who has worked for Scottish Woodlands for more than 30 years - to build up his fitness.
“I was never a very good swimmer which makes it all more of a challenge, my aim is to improve my fitness and to do something for a great cause at the same time,” Dessy said.
“I’ve already had amazing support from colleagues, although some of them have joked that I will have gills by September! Seriously, I’d love to raise a lot of money, so anyone who hasn’t sponsored me, please do so if you can.”
Dessy is completing most of his swimming in the pool at The Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club, near Edinburgh, when he’s in Scotland and the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena when he’s in Northern Ireland.
Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands, said: “This is a massive challenge for Dessy, who has been a larger-than-life presence, and well-loved colleague, in the company for so long. All his friends and colleagues in the business wish him the very best in supporting Marie Curie, our chosen charity for 2026.”
If you would like to support Dessy, please do so via this Just Giving link