Bumper charity haul is likely after Big Splash
Last updated 10:03, Friday, 28 November 2008
LOCAL charities are in the swim after the inaugural Big Splash charity event at the new Hexham pool on Sunday.
Wentworth Leisure Centre was taken over for the day by the Rotary Club of Hexham to host the hugely successful event.
A total of 30 six-strong teams took to the water over a period of eight hours to raise money for charity.
Over the day, a total of 4,767 lengths of 25 metres were swum – the equivalent of 119 kilometres or 74 miles.
The best number of team lengths in the allotted time was 243.
The object was to encourage the local community to participate and to raise funds to be distributed back into deserving causes within Tynedale.
Sponsorship to run the event was generously provided by Waitrose and Northumbrian Water.
A total of 46 Rotarians and their partners turned out to act as stewards, receptionists, administrators, PA announcers, timekeepers, lane counters, team assistants, team photographers and poolside attendants.
The staff at Wentworth Leisure Centre, who operate as North Country Leisure Ltd, did an excellent job by providing superb support and co-operation, not only on the day, but in all the preparation leading up to the occasion, which ensured everything went smoothly.
Teams from a broad cross-section of the local community took part.
Amongst those taking part were Team Tynedale Amateur Swimming Club, SAKS hairdressers, Corbridge MENCAP, the Army Cadet Force, Marks & Spencer, Hexham Abbey bellringers, Hexham Youth Initiative, Hexham Morris, Hexham Rotary Club, and several other businesses as well as individual family teams.
On completion of each hourly session, all swimmers were presented with a ‘Big Splash’ T-shirt to commemorate their achievement, a complimentary bottle of water from Northumbria Water, and they will also receive a team photograph.
The teams swam for an hour in relay style, run over the period from 10 am to 6pm.
All teams could nominate where they wanted the sponsorship money to go. This could be to a deserving individual, a recognised local charity or self-help group within Tynedale.
The ‘Big Splash’ committee will consider all the suggestions. Each team is now collecting their sponsorship money, which is to be handed in to Wentworth Leisure Centre by December 20.
The organisers are hopeful that several thousand pounds will have been raised.
In the New Year an evening function is to be arranged at Wentworth, to which all teams are invited, to witness the presentation of the sponsorship money.
Prizes will be awarded to teams raising the most sponsorship money and to those swimming the most lengths.
