Swimathon is a national fundraising swimming event which takes place across 616 swimming pools in the UK. Swimmers who take part in the event are able to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care or Sport Relief through Distance Challenges of 2,500 or 5,000 metres either as individuals or as part of a team. DC Leisure has supported the Swimathon event for five years. We support this great event for several reasons. It increases the number of people taking part in swimming  and generates income through customers practicing for the event.  Over the past five years, DC Leisure customers have raised an amazing £750,000 ($1,180,000 USD) for good causes.

How did it start?

Since the Swimathon was established in 1986, more than 500,000 swimmers have taken part, raising over £38 million ($60 million USD) for charitable causes. DC Leisure has looked to support national events over many years and saw Swimathon as a great way to get more people physically active, while raising money for worthy causes.

Objectives

Swimathon offers local people a goal to work towards at their local swimming pool and raise money for a national charity. DC Leisure’s aim is to get ‘more people more active more often‘, so this event fits perfectly and we are able to support our customers in raising money for charity.

Why is this project important?

We are proud of our relationship with Swimathon and over the past five years our customers have raised over £750,000 for various Charities. This is really important to us and helps us help others.

Project resources

Our leisure centres commit a great deal of time to organising and promoting the event, booking out swimming pool space to ensure our customers can practice and take part in the event. We provide lap counters at each end of the pool to help customers swim the right distance.

Project results

In 2012, the 57 DC Leisure swimming pools recruited 1,983 swimmers and raised £175,000 ($275,000 USD). Putney Leisure Centre, Wandsworth in South London recruited over 80 swimmers and was ranked the highest fundraising pool in DC Leisure, raising more than £12,000 ($19,000 USD). Tracy McNeela, the DC Leisure General Manager, said ‘The passion and commitment of the team is the foundation upon which a successful Swimathon is built, along with the generosity of all the swimmers who took part and their friends and families.‘

And over the last five years, DC Leisure customers have raised an amazing £750,000 ($1,180,000 USD) for good causes.