Rotary swimarathon raises £3,000 for charities and good causes in Northamptonshire

The event, held at the Chris Moody Centre at Moulton College, took place on Saturday. The sports therapy and injury rehabilitation centre has recently undergone a £9 million refurbishment.

The event is organised by Nene Valley Rotary Club, Northampton RC, Northampton Becket RC and Northampton West RC.

Stan Evans, a member of the swimarathon committee, said teams of six swam in a relay format for an hour.

“It is a fun event for all ages and all abilities. It is not a race or a competition. All the participating swimmers are asked to get sponsorship from their friends and families.

“This year’s event built on our previous successes and we were delighted to welcome eighteen teams consisting of nearly 80 simmers. In all they completed 1500 lengths of the 25 metre pool. This was equivalent to swimming over 21 miles or 34 kilometers, further than the distance from Northampton to Milton Keynes.

“After their swim, all were presented with a certificate containing their team photo and medal. A great time was had by all, with considerable laughter and many smiling faces.

“We had swimmers from local schools, swimming clubs, the Brownies, the Girl Guides and the Scouts together with teams made up of members from families and friends. The swimmers were of all ages with the youngest aged six and the oldest over 60. This year up to 50 percent of the money raised by each team in sponsorship goes back to the team, who can donate it to their choice of charity or even back to their own club or organization.

“We were also supported by local businesses who gave generously, as a way of thanking the people of Northampton for their support over the years. “In all we hope to raise in excess of £3,000 for local charities and good causes,” he added.