Gavin Alexander, the design manager at Winchester-based kitchen retailer Searle & Taylor, has raised thousands of pounds for British Heart Foundation (BHF) in memory of his former colleague, Daniel Munt, who passed away earlier this year.
On June 27, Alexander completed the 1.4-mile 2026 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim to raise funds for the charity, as well as increase awareness of ischaemic heart disease (IHD).
The event took place during the record-breaking June heatwave, where Alexander was supported by Dan Munt’s widow, Pam, and their three children, Meghna, Duggie and Honey – all of which were at the finish line to congratulate him.
Alexander managed to complete the swim in just over 48 minutes, and has managed to raise over £4,600 so far in tribute to his former colleague.
Daniel Munt was the luxury kitchen and home refurbishment studio’s chief installation manager. In February, he passed away suddenly at the age of 53 while walking his dog.
Darren Taylor, Searle & Taylor’s managing director, said he was incredibly proud of Gavin Alexander’s incredible achievement. He continued: “He took it upon himself to quietly raise thousands of pounds to pay tribute to Dan, who worked with us both for many years and was also my best friend since school. Dan was a talented and meticulous installation expert, and I am very pleased that we now work with his son, Duggie and daughter, Honey, who were both trained to be professional installers by their father.
“We are a small and tight-knit team at Searle & Taylor and Dan was both a respected colleague and a true friend. His unexpected passing came as a terrible shock to all of us, and Gavin has already raised more than £4,600, but he hasn’t finished yet. Any small amount will make a difference to help fund research into ischaemic heart disease and his Just Giving page is still open if anyone reading this would be kind enough to donate.”
Gavin Alexander is still looking to raise further funds for BHF, and you can visit his Just Giving page here.