Swimathon president Duncan Goodhew hails club volunteers as ‘unsung heroes’

Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew has hailed club volunteers as the ‘unsung heroes’ of the sport.

The president of the Swimathon Foundation heaped praise on officials as he encouraged them to apply for the charity’s Covid-19 Relief Fund 2.0 before the deadline of Friday 26 February.

More than 100 aquatics organisations shared a total of £50,000 in funding when Swimathon’s original Covid-19 Relief Fund was launched last May.

Now, grants of up to £1,000 are available to support swimming and aquatic organisations who are experiencing continued financial hardship from the effects of Covid-19.

Duncan, who won gold in the 100m Breaststroke at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, said it was important that Swimathon was able to support Swim England’s affiliated clubs and swim schools.

He said: “I’m thrilled that we are once again able to support the swimming community through this difficult time.

“Almost all swimming clubs and organisations are run by a few individuals who put in an immense amount of voluntary time.

“I’m so pleased that we were able to help so many last year, but the hard times have not gone away and a huge number of swimming clubs and organisations continue to struggle.

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“These people remain the unsung heroes of the sport and it’s so important that the Swimathon Foundation continues to do all it can to help them get through this.”

Anthony Kendall OBE, Swimathon chairman, added: “Swimathon has been raising money for good causes for more than 30 years, and this fund is a crucial part of its plan to give back.

“The role of The Swimathon Foundation has always been to support and encourage community swimmers, protect facilities and help charities, many of whom have experienced huge losses over the last year.

“I believe we did in 2020 and our Relief Fund was a huge part in that, so hopefully this additional funding will continue to offer support to those who most need it.”

To find out more and apply for the Swimathon Foundation’s Covid-19 Relief Fund grant, visit www.swimathonfoundation.org.