Man with MND organises sea dip to raise awareness

A retired orthodontist who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) just over a year ago is organising a fancy dress dip on Brighton beach on Friday.

Jon (Joff) Machell, who was diagnosed with MND in October last year, has organised the dip during the British Orthodontic Conference in the city.

The 56-year-old, who is from Exeter in Devon, wants friends and colleagues to gather in outrageous fancy dress and form a giant circle in the shallows, performing a Mexican wave to raise awareness of MND.

Machell says the event is about "bringing people together, celebrating life, and raising as much awareness as possible of this devastating disease".

MND is a progressive neurological condition affecting the nerves controlling voluntary movement. It can affect walking, speech, swallowing and breathing, and there is currently no cure.

The retired orthodontist says he is really keen to "highlight the urgent need for increased government funding for MND research", and hopes his Brighton event services that aim.

Together with friends, Machell has raised a combined £117,000 for the MND Association through a variety of fundraising efforts, including a dip at Marazion Beach in Cornwall held three months ago.

Machell said that, while his "speech and strength are deteriorating", he is determined to remain positive.

In 2023, prior to his diagnosis, he swam the 11-mile length of Lake Windermere for charity.

Now, three years later, the retired orthodontist says he now struggles to walk.

He says: "Long swims are no longer possible, so I have instead been enjoying lots of 'Chilly Dips' in beautiful locations with family and friends."

Machell is inviting his friends and colleagues to meet in fancy dress at 17:00 BST directly in front of the Brighton Conference Centre, with the dip to begin at 17:30.

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