Thame Swimathon 2018

TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE!

To participate is simple as 1-2-3:

1. Get a team of  4-6, complete Team Entry Form and send it to thame.swimathon@btinternet.com

2. Raise funds for charity

3. Swim for 1 h.

All ages from 8+ are invited to enter

Download here:

-    Team Entry Form

-  Info Pack

-    Sponsorship Form

To start your fundraising page:

1. Go to mydonate.bt.com/events/thameswimathon2018    
2. Click on “Start Fundraising” button. You will need to be registered with My Donate.
3. For support, please ring or text 07764 85 49 49

Please support the teams who started their fundraising pages displayed with links below.

Just CLICK & DONATE! 

- Team Ice Cream - Bella, Lucy, Madison, Caoimhe, Chloe and Claudia are school friends in Year 5 who attend John Hampden Primary School, Thame.  They are very keen swimmers and are looking forward to entering their second swimathon. They are raising funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Thame Rotary Charities

 - Barley Hill School Thame's - 4 Teams - Barley Hill Barracudas, Team Haste, Fantastic Five, Zoomy Zebras. These 4 wonderful teams of children (and a few adults!) from Barley Hill Primary School are going to be swimming as many lengths as they possibly can to raise money for Barley Hill School PTFA and the Thame Rotary Charities.

- Team Bill - Cave - The team is raising funds for Rotary Charities and one charity in support of children with disabilities

- Wheatley Park School Interact Club - A group of 4 Interact students will be swimming for 1 hour. Other Wheatley Park interactors will be volunteering at the Thame Swimathon by counting the lengths swum by other teams. The main local charity, which will be supported from the money raised, is SeeSaw. This charity is set up to meet the needs of bereaved children and young people and it it based in Oxfordshire.

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Sponsors

The event is possible due to generous local sponsors who kindly covered most of the costs: Thame Leisure Centre (Better), Aston Hearing Thame, Haddenham Beer Festivals Trust.

 How does Thame Swimathon Work? 

We are looking for teams of up to 6 swimmers.  Each team is given a lane of the pool and will swim for 55 minutes.  BUT ONLY ONE TEAM MEMBER SWIMS AT A TIME. 

On average this means that each swimmer does about 10-20 lengths during the 55 minutes, but there is no need for each team member to swim the same number of lengths.

Every team member gets sponsorship for the TEAM either by total number of lengths swum which can be up to 100 lengths or sponsorship can be a lump sum for taking part.

Who benefits?

Everyone!

Local charities and a Team’s chosen charity if one is put forward.

The swimmers have lots of fun trying to swim as many lengths and raise as much sponsorship as they can.

Who can take part?

Anyone over the age of 8 – Local Groups - Charities – Companies - Families – Friends – Churches – Offices – Shops –Scouts & Guides – Cubs & Brownies – Swimming Clubs – Health Clubs - Schools & Colleges – Policemen – Firemen – Paramedics – Nurses & Doctors – Businesses – Dentists

Medals

Each team member who swims will be given a commemorative medal and a certificate.

What does a Team do?
Before the Swimathon

Download Team Entry Form, Info Pack and Sponsorship Form

or ring Marius Ciortan on 07764 85 49 49

or e-mail: thame.swimathon@btinternet.com

Team Captain sends the completed Team Entry Form to thame.swimathon@btinternet.com

Team Captain obtains allocated start time for Thame Swimathon from Rotary Club of Thame.

Whilst a preferred start time can be requested on the Entry Form this cannot be guaranteed.

Individuals in the Team find sponsors and enter these on their Sponsorship Forms. Sign up your Sponsors – as Gift Aid if possible. Remember to get the Form filled in correctly (see Form for guidance).  You can complete more than one Sponsorship Form if you wish.

Give completed Sponsorship Form(s) to your Team Captain before the Swimathon or on the day.

On the day of the Thame Swimathon
Before your swim

 Team turns up 45 minutes before their allocated start time. (Gather outside the Leisure Centre or inside and enter as a Team and go to the Thame Swimathon Welcome Area. Bring a £1.00 coin for your locker (returnable)

Individuals bring your sponsorship form(s) if you have not already handed them to your Team Captain. Please DO NOT bring your Sponsorship money to the Swimathon

Captain of Team hands in copy of Entry Form and Team Sponsorship Forms.

Team waits for Entry Form and Sponsorship Forms to be checked

Once Entry Form and Sponsorship Forms are checked Team get changed.

Team assembles pool side 15 minutes prior to their allocated start time i.e. 45 minutes before the hour.

Team waits 10 minutes until previous group of swimmers have finished got out of the water and left the start/finish end of the pool.

Team splits 3 to each end of the pool and enter water. NO DIVING IS ALLOWED.

Team swims their lengths with one swimmer swimming at any one time

Have a great Swim!

 Your Team’s lengths will be recorded for you

After your Swim

Exit the pool and receive medals on the way out of the pool area.

Teams change.

Team Captain goes to Registration and collects Certificates for each Entrant which will state Team Name and Lengths Swam by Team. Also the Team captain will receive a letter stating the amount pledged by the Team, being the total of all the Sponsorship Forms completed by the Team’s members and the Sponsorship Forms. 

After the Thame Swimathon

Individual Team Members collect their sponsorship forms from the Team Captain.

Team Members collect their sponsorship money.

Team Captain collects all Team Members sponsorship money and checks the total equals the amount pledged by the Team on the letter.

Charities Supported

All Rotary nominated charities to be supported by this event are local to Thame and neighbouring villages.

The main Local Charities thatis supported by this event is:

- SeeSaw  - an Oxfordshire based charity set up to meet the needs of bereaved children and young people in Oxfordshire.

You have got the option to fundraise for your preferred charity

Q.       Why should I get involved?

A.       Not only to raise vital funds for local much needed charities BUT to have lots of FUN being part of a great day

Q.  What types of teams enter?

A.  We have teams from schools, youth groups (eg Scouts), families, work colleagues, sports clubs, local businesses, charities and groups of friends.  Everyone is made very welcome, and they all leave with a great sense of achievement.

Q.  How well do I have to be able to swim if I want to enter?

A.  All swimmers have to be safe in 3 ft water, but because you only swim one length at a time you don’t have to be especially strong, just confident.  You will be in the water for 55 minutes, but you will be resting between lengths. The whole team may swim about 100 lengths altogether, but if one of you is much stronger than the others, that person could swim more lengths than their team mates.  Taking part is what really matters.

Q. Are Rotary in sole charge of the Event?

A. The activity within the Pool building is under the supervision and control of the Pool management at all times. Rotary Club of Thame is organising the Event.

Q. Can children enter?

A: The minimum age for swimmers is eight years (at the time of the event). Children under sixteen years old need the consent of their parents or guardians or carers. In the case of School Teams, this may be arranged through the school, if the Rotary Club of Thame agrees in advance.

Q. How are the supported charities chosen?

A. The Rotary Club of Thame chooses those local charities which in its view are most deserving of support.  As to the number of charities, we wish to make a worthwhile contribution to those that we support, but also to spread the benefit. Supporting up to five charities each year has seemed appropriate. 

Q. Can I fundraise for my preferred charity?

A. You have got the option to allocate 50% of your team’s money raised towards the charity of your choice or 100% towards Rotary’s charities. You can indicate this by ticking the appropriate option on the Team Entry Form. In both cases all moneys will be collected by Rotary Club of Thame which will apply for Gift Aid as appropriate. Once this process is completed, Rotary Club of Thame will make a donation towards the charity of your choice, should this option be taken.

Q. Can I fundraise on line?

A. Yes. You can create your own fundraising page on My Donate Portal under the Thame Swimathon 2016 page and then share the link with your family, friends, and colleagues asking them to donate online. 

To start you fundraising page:

1. Go to mydonate.bt.com/events/thameswimathon2018    
2. Click on “Start Fundraising” button. You will need to be registered with My Donate.
3. For support, please ring or text 07764 85 49 49

Thame Swimathon in the media

Thame Gazette on 7 January 2017: Join in with this year's Thame Swimathon

Thame.net on 6 December 2016: Challenge Yourself! The Thame Swimathon 2017

Thame Hub in December 2016: Thame Swimathon 2017

Mix 96 FM on 3 March 2016 -  34 Miles Swam at Thame Charity Event

Mix 96 FM on 28 Feb 2016 - Swimathon Returns to Thame

Thame.net on 24 Feb 2016: It’s time to support the teams for Thame Swimathon 2016!

Thame.net on 26 Jan 2016: Grab a free slot at The Thame Swimathon 2016!