Presentation of Swimathon 2025 proceeds to Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool

A cheque for £3,925 was presented to Swimathon 2025's main beneficiary, the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, at our Club meeting on 4th August.

Neil Montgomery and Stan Roper, respectively the Manager and Trustee of the Hydrotherapy Pool, came to our meeting to accept the cheque.

The Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool has provided hydrotherapy for the people of Wiltshire since 1979 at its fully accessible Centre in Jefferies Avenue, Swindon.  Hydrotherapy can relieve pain, help with rehabilitation and be beneficial for many conditions for all age groups.  The Centre’s staff are dedicated to helping people enjoy the many benefits of hydrotherapy. To use the Pool people need to be referred by their GP or health professional.

Neil Montgomery said: “This is a fantastic amount of money and we are so grateful to the Rotary Club for choosing the Pool to benefit from their Swimathon, and of course we thank all the entrants and the lengths they went to collect lots of sponsorship.   We desperately need to renew the hoists which lift disabled people in and out of the water and this money will be used for that.”

Held at Highworth Recreation Centre on 11th May, the Rotary Swimathon gave teams of swimmers the opportunity to collect sponsorship for a charity of their choice.   Half of their sponsorship went to the Hydrotherapy Pool and the other half to a charity of their choice. 

The Rotary Charity Swimathon 2025

Another charity to benefit was the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group which received £250.

What the Swimathon was not was a marathon or a race, above all it was a fun event for swimmers of all ages and abilities.  No-one had to complete a certain distance or swim at a certain speed, team members just swam in relay for 55 minutes.  It gave teams of swimmers the opportunity to collect sponsorship for an organisation, cause or charity of their choice.  Team members were friends, school or work colleagues, family members, all groups with a shared aim.  We simply organised and ran the event. 

It was free to enter and Amazon vouchers were on offer for the 3 swimmers who collected the most sponsorship.   They were Rosaline Baker who collected £458.75, and sisters Eleanor and Jessica Chappell who got £426.25 and £320.00 respectively.  

Every participant was presented with a medal and a certificate.

Our Rotary Swimathon is an annual event and we are already thinking about the next one which will be held in May 2026.