They did it! Northampton Swimming Club wins amazing £100,000 top prize from housebuilder

A Northampton club has scooped £100,000 as part of a housebuilder’s funding campaign supporting under-18s across the nation.

Northampton Swimming Club (NSC) won one of the top prizes in the Persimmon Homes Building Futures campaign, which encouraged applications in three categories – education and arts, health, and sports.

The club provides opportunities for competitive and non-competitive swimmers and aims to create an environment in which swimmers thrive and can reach their full potential. The club represented Persimmon Homes Midlands and came out top in the sport category.

Jacquie Marshall, from Northampton Swimming Club, said: “By actively encouraging people to swim, promoting social, physiological and mental well-being benefits, NSC makes a positive contribution to the local community by offering opportunities to all including people with disabilities and from BAME communities.

“Winning £100,000 will make a tremendous difference, and we aim to subsidise lessons, offer free sessions and camps to increase participation. We want to get more children and youths involved in a team, especially those members of the community who would otherwise be unable to participate due to limited income.”

Persimmon Homes has handed out more than £1 million in cash prizes to organisations across England, Scotland and Wales as part of the campaign. The first, second and third prize winners in each category were decided by a public vote with around 400,000 votes cast.

Three finalists were each awarded the top prize of £100,000, three the second prize of £50,000 and three the third prize of £20,000. The remaining finalists were handed £5,000 each.

The winners were announced during a virtual event, presented by Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, chair of UK Sport and Great Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, alongside Persimmon Homes Group CEO Dean Finch. The final was watched live online by around 1,500 people.

The Henry Allen Trust and Milton Keynes Play Association also represented Persimmon Homes Midlands in the final for the health and sport categories and were each awarded £5,000.

Simon McDonald, regional divisional director (Central), said: “The Building Futures scheme has been a great success and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work of so many organisations supporting young people in our communities.

“We have been overwhelmed by both the response to the competition, and the hard work and dedication of those involved within all the groups and we are delighted that Northampton Swimming Club from our region was one of the big winners.”

The £100,000 prize winner in the education & arts category was Ringsfield Hall Eco Activity Centre, while The Children’s Hospital Charity secured the award for health. The second prize of £50,000 went to KD Gymnastics for sport, North Music Trust for education & arts and Little Hearts Matter for health. Afan Lido Ladies & Girls’ FC scooped £20,000 for sport in third place, Refugee Action won the education & arts award and Derian House Children’s Hospice was handed the health award.

During April and May, Building Futures also gave away £1,000 each to 128 organisations supporting young people in sport, education and arts and health.