A FORMER Royal Marine and three time cancer survivor will take a series of cold-water plunges around the British coastline next January 2023.

Former Royal Marines Corporal Tim Crossin, from Poole, is completing the initiative to raise funds for RMA - The Royal Marines Charity, veterans’ mental health charity Rock 2 Recovery and cancer charity Lymphoma Action.

Tim served in the Royal Marines for 18 years, completing three tours of duty in Northern Ireland as well as other hostile locations including Lebanon and the Congo.

After his service he was employed as a professional bodyguard working in warzones including Iraq, Afghanistan and Chad.

He trained and ran security teams for anti-piracy initiatives in the Indian Ocean and spent two years running the security for the England Football team prior to the 2012 Johannesburg World Cup.

Tim is a proud father of two and grandfather of five.

He survived non-Hodgkin lymphoma and two bouts of Hodgkin Lymphoma between 2018 and 2022 and is currently awaiting results in December 2022 to confirm he is in remission.

He is fundraising through a series of cold-water dips due to his consultant vetoing anything more strenuous due to his ongoing recovery programme.

The 59-year-old has the backing of former SBS Royal Marine Titch Cormack, best known for hosting BBC2 series The Speedshop. And luxury watch brand Elliott Brown Watches is sponsoring Tim by donating a limited edition (1/80) Commando watches.

Tim said: “I was fed up with everyone asking about my treatment so decided to do something to change the conversation as well as do something to give back to charities close to my heart which have supported both myself and friends.

“The cold water takes your mind off your problems, aiding the focus of your thoughts in that moment. I have found it extremely beneficial in dealing with the emotional and physical demands of cancer and chemotherapy.

“As a former Royal Marine, I’d like to be running up Ben Nevis with a fridge on my back or swimming the Channel dragging a piano or something else as extreme, but the damage to my lungs is so severe that I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of breath.

“The support of the communities I visit will be key to this initiative.”

Tim will be beginning and ending his tour along the British coastline, in Poole.

He will be starting at Poole Quay on January 1, 2023 and finishing at Branksome Beach in Poole on January 31, 2023.