Clubs and swim schools urged to apply for second round of Swimathon funding

Swim England’s affiliated clubs and swim schools are being encouraged to apply for a new round of funding available from the Swimathon Foundation.

The registered charity, which stages the popular Swimathon events, distributed a total of £50,000 to small swimming and aquatics organisations last June in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now it has launched The Swimathon Foundation Covid-19 Relief Fund 2.0 – with clubs and swim schools getting the chance to apply for a grant worth between £250 and a maximum of £1,000.

The money could be used to fund a range of fixed costs, expenses or loss of revenue incurred during the coronavirus lockdowns.

Liverpool-based Bebington Swimming Club were one of more than 100 organisations that applied for a grant during the first Covid-19 RelieF Fund.

Beverley Raistrick, from Bebington Swimming Club, said the funding was key to investing in their young members.

She said: “We were delighted to receive the funding.

“We have a long-proven track record to develop our young people into aquatic coaching and lifeguarding so we specifically wanted to use the funding to put two of our young people through their coaching level course.

“From our last cohort there were six of them who went on to paid employment as lifeguards and most of them volunteer as coaches for us as well.

Giving so generously

“It’s important to develop those young people to ensure that the future of the club is looked after.”

Claire Coleman, Swim England head of development, said: “We know the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on our affiliated clubs and swim schools and this funding could give them a much-needed financial boost during this third national lockdown.

“It’s great to see the Swimathon Foundation again giving so generously to clubs. Many club swimmers have supported Swimathon over the years and we would encourage our affiliated clubs and swim schools to consider applying for a grant.”

Applications for the Swimathon Foundation Covid-19 Relief Fund 2.0 need to be submitted by Friday 26 February and the form can be found by clicking here.

A panel will then review those applications with successful organisations being notified by Friday 12 March.

More details about the scheme are available from the Swimathon Foundation website.