Thame’s Record-breaking swimathon 2020!

TWENTY enthusiastic teams attended the eighth Thame Swimathon on Sunday (March1), at Thame Leisure Centre – and broke its own fundraising record!

Cllr Ann Midwinter with the five Barley Hill School teams that completed Thame Swimathon 2020

The majority of the swimmers were schoolchildren from local primary schools, Barley Hill, Thame; John Hampden, Thame; Watlington Primary School, Haddenham Junior School and Ickford Primary School. For many of the children this was their first ever opportunity to fundraise for good causes.

The teams swam a total of 2,097 lengths, the equivalent of 32 miles (52 km) and the total raised is well over £7,500 – which is the new fundraising record for this event.

All Thame Swimathon swimmers received medals presented by Cllr Ann Midwinter, the Mayor of Thame, as well as Cllr Linda Emery and Graham Colverson, former Presidents of the Rotary Club of Thame & District.

Rotary Club Thame & District main charities supported during 2019-2020 are Thame Young Carers, Red Kite Family Centre Thame & Chinnor, and The Maple Tree Children’s Centre Wheatley. Most of the teams took the option to allocate 50% of the funds towards their favourite charity or cause.

Kate Elsworth, Trustee at John Hampden School PTFA, said: “John Hampden School were delighted to take part in such a well organised, community-spirited event. Our students all thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of swimming for 55 minutes non-stop and loved the friendly competitive nature of the event. We will be back!!

Jo Sackett, Trustee at Barley Hill School PTFA, said: “Thank you so much to the Rotary for organising yet another wonderful event. The Swimathon is so popular with the students and staff at Barley Hill and it was a pleasure to submit five teams to take part. They had an amazing time, swimming 537 lengths between them and raising over £1500. We’ll be back again next year!”

Karen Cemm, Chair of Watlington Primary School PTA, said: “I have had great feedback from the parents and children themselves about what a great event it was and how much they enjoyed participating. Thame and District Rotary Club really seems to have got the balance right of being fun, but a brilliantly organised event!”

Marius Ciortan, Thame Swimathon Steering Group Chairman, said: “The event was possible due to generous local sponsors who kindly covered the swimming pool hiring costs: Thame Leisure Centre and Haddenham Beer Festivals Trust. Aston Hearing Thame kindly supported the event with the cost of producing the medals.”

Marius added: “I would like to thank the volunteers from Thame Inner Wheel, Wheatley Park Interact Club, Phoenix Community Club and Haddenham & District Rotary who helped Thame and District Rotarians with the counting of lengths swum by teams. On behalf of our club, I would like to thank all swimmers and their families for their support and for making Thame Swimathon 2020 a great success.”

To find out how to join Rotary Club of Thame & District or Phoenix Community Club, please contact us via www.thame.rotary1090.org or www.facebook.com/thamerotary or www.facebook.com/phoenixcommunityclubthame