Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Updated: Former Rotorua man swims 40km for hospice

By Stephanie Arthur-Worsop
Rotorua Daily Post·
12 Aug, 2014 08:30 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

David Dawson was aiming to start his record swim across Loch Lomond in Scotland overnight. Photo / File

David Dawson was aiming to start his record swim across Loch Lomond in Scotland overnight. Photo / File

Ex-pat David Dawson has become the first New Zealander to swim solo across Loch Lomond in Scotland, the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain.

The swim was a fundraiser for the Rotorua Community Hospice, who cared for Mr Dawson's late mother after she suffered a brain aneurism.

Rotorua Community Hospice spokeswoman Jan Morgan said she had received an email from a contact who had liaised with Mr Dawson's sister in Scotland to say he had completed it at 6.53am New Zealand time after spending 12 hours, 23 minutes in the water.

Mr Dawson raised more than $8,000 for Rotorua Community Hospice for his 40km swim, and the money was still coming in through online donations.

"It's all pretty emotional for us here at Hospice. We just say a huge, big thank you." Ms Morgan said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"He is a true hospice hero, just put a cape on him I say."

Mr Dawson entered the 19C loch at 6.30pm New Zealand time yesterday, his 50th birthday in New Zealand.

Ms Morgan said she understood it had also coincided with the anniversary of the day his mother was buried.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The generosity of so many will help us purchase specialist equipment such as motorised electric beds with pressure mattresses, wheelchairs and walking frames," Ms Morgan said.

"This equipment helps our patients pass as peacefully and painlessly as possible while still holding onto their dignity."

Fewer than 50 people have made the 40km swim across Loch Lomond.

Mr Dawson has lived in England for the past 24 years.

He posted on his website that he was doing the swim in support of Rotorua Community Hospice.

"I guess we all don't think about a hospice until we need to, but the care and support they provide to our community is unparalleled, in my opinion, and I really want to show that the people of Rotorua (my home town) can and want to get behind supporting the hospice."

Fewer than 50 people have made the 40km swim across Loch Lomond.

People can follow Mr Dawson's blog at http://ironkiwi.wordpress.com or see his fundraising page at fundraiseonline.co.nz/DaveDawson.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

04 Jul 02:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

Rotorua Daily Post

'Social dysfunction at its worst': Two people sentenced over Rotorua teen prostitution ring

04 Jul 01:08 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

04 Jul 02:00 AM

Peter was trapped under a tractor for hours on his Mangakino farm.

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

Farmer's harrowing hours crushed beneath tractor

'Social dysfunction at its worst': Two people sentenced over Rotorua teen prostitution ring

'Social dysfunction at its worst': Two people sentenced over Rotorua teen prostitution ring

04 Jul 01:08 AM
'A f****** ugly mess': Gang boss' text after fatal hotbox attack on mate of 20 years

'A f****** ugly mess': Gang boss' text after fatal hotbox attack on mate of 20 years

04 Jul 12:24 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP