SwimFest - Lutterworth's Festival of Swimming

Twenty-three teams comprising 123 swimmers of all ages and abilities plunged into Lutterworth Sports Centre Pool on 12th November 2011 to raise funds for the charities: Marie Curie Cancer Care, Wishes4Kids, Leicestershire Life Education Trust and Rotary good causes. As always the event took place in a fantastic atmosphere with many swimmers from a number of primary schools, Lutterworth Rugby Club, Tri-Club 1485 together with individuals returning to take part yet again. 2859 lengths of the pool were swum in the 4 hours available - 71.5kms. with Team Paddlers completing the most - 167.

Now in its eighth year, SwimFest has raised over £30,000 with the outcome of this year's event still to be added - potentially £3,500.

We thank all participants and their sponsors for supporting us together with Hinckley & Rugby Building Society, E-Cas and The Greyhound Coaching Inn for their financial assistance in staging the event.

A full report on the 2011 SwimFest event will follow shortly.
 

KEY DETAILS

SwimFest is a Lutterworth sporting initiative, created to draw together groups of swimmers in the Town and the wider community, with the objective of raising funds for charities and good causes that do so much to enhance the lives of local people.  Staged in the swimming pool at Lutterworth Sports Centre, the event is as competitive as participants want to make it.  Moreover, SwimFest is structured to appeal to swimmers of all ages and abilities who enjoy taking part in a FUN activity. There are no entry fees to pay, but team sponsorship is essential.

Teams of up to six people swim for 55 minutes - one person in the pool at any one time. Any mix of people can form a team.

Each team entered will be allocated a start time.

The object is for the team to swim as many lengths as it can. The team organises how it uses each team member; there are no rules laid down for this.

Prior to the event, each team member will need to raise sponsorship monies based either on the total number of lengths swum by the team, or a flat contribution.

Rotary stewards will log the number of lengths swum by each team and a certificate noting the team’s achievement will be issued at the conclusion of their swim. Sponsorship monies can then be collected and forwarded to Rotary for distribution to the beneficiaries. All monies raised will be donated.

On receipt of an entry form (see back page), sponsorship forms will be sent to the team captain together with event details. 

A key element of the Sponsor Form is the Gift Aid section which enhances the donations made by UK taxpayers.

Awards will be presented to members of the winning team and in addition,
The Greyhound Coaching Inn will entertain
the team for a meal in its Vaults Restaurant.

This is an opportunity to ENJOY a community FUN event with
friends and colleagues whilst raising funds for worthwhile
good causes.

This Year's Chosen Charities

MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE Marie Curie provides one-to-one support for terminally ill people and their families.  Their helpers are trained volunteers who provide company and support to people with a life-threatening illness, their families and carers to help them cope better and with more confidence

WISHES 4 KIDS This Leicester-based charity has been created to grant a wish for children and young people in Leicestershire who are life-limited, terminally ill, have experienced life-changing physical or emotional traumas, have suffered major abuse or are diagnosed as HIV Positive.  The Charity grants wishes for those of eighteen years and below.

LEICESTERSHIRE LIFE EDUCATION TRUST This Leicestershire Charity www.lifeeducation.org.uk was formed over fourteen years ago with the objective of educating   children about the effects on the human body of taking drugs and other harmful substances such as tobacco. To carry out its work, funds were raised to purchase three large mobile classrooms that tour primary schools; 25,000 + pupils are educated each year in Leicestershire and Rutland. Operational costs are significant and donations from events such as SwimFest are crucial if its work is to be maintained.

ROTARY CHARITIES The Rotary Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation formed in 1917 exists to support humanitarian, educational and cultural programmes, primarily in the developing world. Since 1988, in conjunction with The World Health Organisation, one of its major  achievements  through its financial input of $700m and the hands-on activity of Rotarians is the virtual eradication of the crippling disease of polio from populations in all parts of the globe. Locally, The Rotary Club of Lutterworth Wycliffe has a programme to develop the skills and potential of young people in our community.