Teams will take on the challenge at Thame Swimathon 2018

TWENTY teams have booked all available slots at Thame Rotary’s Thame Swimathon 2018. Any new team entry form will now be put on hold onto a waiting list.

The sixth edition of the Thame Swimathon will take place at the Thame Leisure Centre on Sunday, February 25, 2018, from 11am until 3pm. This is a fun and fundraising event organised by the Rotary Club of Thame. The event is possible due to generous local sponsors who kindly cover most of the costs: Thame Leisure Centre, Haddenham Beer Festivals Trust, Aston Hearing, and Ignite Sport.

Thame Swimming Club’s teams 2017

Most of the teams have taken the option to allocate 50% of the money raised towards their favourite cause, and 50% towards Thame Rotary’s main local charity, SeeSaw. John Singer, Thame Rotary’s President, has proposed SeeSaw as the main club charity in 2017-2018, after being inspired by the local community’s solidarity and show of support after the tragic death of Barnaby Cork in December 2016. SeeSaw provides grief support for children across Oxfordshire, including support for schools after a death in their community.

Volunteers from Thame and District Lions Club, Thame Inner Wheel and Wheatley Park Interact Club will be supporting Thame Rotarians with the counting of lengths swum by teams.

Thame Swimming Club will participate with 10 teams at the Thame Swimathon 2018, raising funds for their own club. Phil Evans, Thame Swimming Club Chairman, said: “Thame swimming Club is delighted to once again be supporting the Rotary Club of Thame’s annual Swimathon. We have 10 teams participating this year (a record for Thame swimming Club) with the money raised helping with the ongoing development of our swimmers.”

Thame’s Barley Hill School pupils will participate once again on February 25th. Jo Sackett, representing the school’s parents-teachers association, said: “We have four teams from Barley Hill Primary School taking part in this year’s Thame Swimathon. All the children are busy fundraising and are really looking forward to taking part in this fantastic event in a few weeks time.” The team names are Barley Hill Barracudas, Team Haste, The Fantastic Five, and Zoomy Zebras. The teams’ fundraising amounts will be split between Barley Hill PTFA and Rotary charities.

Thame’s John Hampden Primary School will be represented once again by Team Ice Cream. The enthusiastic little team said: “We’ve all joined up again this year; we call it Swim for a life.” Their favourite charity is again this year, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, ‘for the great support they have given to our community’.

The teams will appreciate any support via online donations. The My Donate links can be found on the Thame Swimathon page of the Rotary Club of Thame’s website www.thame.rotary1090.org and on Facebook via www.facebook.com/thamerotary.