Swimmers take the plunge for charity

More than £5,000 has been raised for charity after The Rotary Club of Skegness held its first '˜swimarathon'.
Representatives from The Rotary Club of Skegness with Kirsty Raywood from LIVES and Mark Belton from Fresh Fitness. EMN-170227-121234001Representatives from The Rotary Club of Skegness with Kirsty Raywood from LIVES and Mark Belton from Fresh Fitness. EMN-170227-121234001
Representatives from The Rotary Club of Skegness with Kirsty Raywood from LIVES and Mark Belton from Fresh Fitness. EMN-170227-121234001

The event at Fresh Fitness, in Richmond Holiday Centre, on Sunday, saw 16 teams of swimmers aged eight to 85 swimming in relay for 55 minutes.

Norman Prime, 70, chairman of the branch’s community and vocational committee, said it was ‘really enjoyable’.

“We hope it will become a regular annual event,” he said.

The club also held an evening of live music from the Skegness Silver Band and Ashley Walker Band, dinner and dance at the Grosvenor House Hotel, which raised £520.Norman said: “Everyone I spoke to say they really enjoyed it.”

A total of £2,000 raised is to be split between the Rotary Foundation’s Worldwide Eradication of Polio, and buying defibrillator units for Skegness. The Foundation has match-funded £1,000 – meaning £2,000 will go towards the defibrillators.

Global charity The Bill Gates Foundation has also agreed to give £2 for every £1 for the eradication of polio, bringing the total to £3,000.

Next Wednesday, there will be a Big Breakfast at the Royal Hotel, in Skegness, from 7.45am, at £10 per person, for Cancer Research UK.