Charity Swimathon & Prize Draw 2020

Swindon North Rotary Club can help you raise funds for your favourite charity.

Our Charity SWIMATHON is a fun event organised to help local organisations raise the cash they need.  Held on one day it gives a team of swimmers the opportunity to gather sponsorship for an organisation, cause or charity they select.  Team members can be friends, school or work colleagues, family members, in fact any group with a shared aim.  Swindon North Rotary Club organises and runs the event for you and there's absolutely no charge to enter it. 

As well as raising money for the charity of your choice our Charity SWIMATHON will also raise funds for the Swindon Down's Syndrome Group. This Group is a parent-led charity supporting people with Down’s Syndrome, their families, carers and all those with an interest in Down’s Syndrome in Swindon and the surrounding area. It is an independent charity, affiliated to the National Down’s Syndrome Association. 

It offers a broad range of services and support ranging from new parent support groups, speech and language therapy through to social activities like swimming sessions, family days out and drama projects. SDSG wouldn’t be able to provide all the great activities, services and support it does without help from fundraisers and the many events organised for it such as our Charity SWIMATHON.

> Print/download a short version of this page (on one sheet A4 paper)

The SWIMATHON is not a marathon, nor is it a race.  It’s a FUN event and swimmers of any ability can enter.  Swimmers aged from 8 to 80 plus can take part.  No-one will be asked to complete a certain distance or to swim at a certain speed.  The event involves team members swimming in relay for 55 minutes.

>View/print/download the rules of the Swimathon

Organising your team
Ideally your team should have 4 to 8 members, people who are not only prepared to swim but also willing to collect sponsorship on themselves.  Give your team a name, decide who will be the team captain, and select the charity or organisation you want to raise money for.  We suggest that each team member should endeavour to collect at least £25 sponsorship on themselves.  Obviously, the more the better!   Sponsorship Forms can be downloaded from this page.  We will organise everything on the day including giving every swimmer a medal and a certificate to show their sponsors as proof of how many lengths they swam.

> View/print/download Sponsorship Forms           > View/print/download an A5 Flyer

How to enter
Online – to complete and submit an entry form online Click here
By Post – to download and print an entry form  Click here.  Fill it in and return it to us by post to the address on the Entry Form

> Complete and submit a Swimathon Entry Form online

> Download and print a Swimathon Entry Form

After the event you need to send us all the sponsorship money your team has collected and we will send you a cheque payable to the organisation of your team’s choice and equal to the value of one half of your total sponsorship.  The other half of your sponsorship money will go to the charity selected by us: the Swindon Down's Syndrome Group.

Fund-raising with help
Anyone who has organised a fund-raising event, whether it’s a fun run, a quiz night or a jumble sale, will know that such events are time consuming and difficult to arrange.  Enter a team in the Swindon North Rotary SWIMATHON and you will avoid all that hassle.  Simply turn up on the day with your team and any supporters, hand in your sponsorship forms, and then enjoy swimming and cheering on your fellow team members.

We will add up how much sponsorship your team has obtained, verify the forms, and then hand them back to you so that you can collect all the money in.  When we receive your sponsorship money we will send you the cheque for the organisation you chose.

Collect your sponsorship online

Your SWIMATHON team will be able to raise sponsorship online by using the Virgin Money Giving facility.  Click on the Virgin Money Giving image above to visit our event page where you can register as a fundraiser for our SWIMATHON and set up your very own Virgin Money Giving webpage. 

Then email and message all your friends and family and invite them to donate to you online on your Virgin Money Giving fundraising page.  That way you can promote your entry much more widely, maximise your sponsorship and have gift aid added to it.  There are 10 Top Tips on Virgin Money Giving to help you raise as much money as possible, click here.  The Virgin Money Giving collection facility and donations to our Swimathon will remain open until 26th June 2020.    

Download an entry form or complete one online now and get started straightaway

Swimathon Grand Draw
A Grand Draw is being held in association with the Rotary SWIMATHON with many prizes to be won including cash prizes of £200, £100 and £50. The draw will take place at The Link Centre during the SWIMATHON on 26th April 2020.  Tickets cost £1 each and can be obtained using the contact links at the bottom of this page.

Acknowledgements

The Rotary Club of Swindon North acknowledges with grateful thanks the support being given to the Swimathon and Grand Draw by STAR LEGAL and BETTER.

For further information about the Swimathon & Grand Draw contact Ken Winslow on the email link below or to speak to someone phone 07710 228697