‘Absolutely brilliant’ Grantham Rotary Swimarathon surpasses £1 million in 35th year
An annual swimarathon has passed the £1 million mark raised in its 35th year.
The Grantham Rotary Swimarathon took place on Friday (February 2) and came to a close yesterday (Sunday, February 4) at The Meres Leisure Centre.
Organisers, the Rotary Club of Grantham, hoped the event would surpass the £1 million mark and it did at 3pm on Saturday (February 3). The money is split between local good causes.
For this year, the event raised £32,863, but organisers are hopeful when all of the money is in it will reach £40,000, including Gift Aid.
Roger Graves, who has been lead organiser for 23 years, said it was an “absolutely brilliant weekend.”
He added: “It was a fantastic event. It really was amazing.
“The crowd really got behind us across the weekend. All the teams turned up and the crowds enjoyed it.
“The spirit was there and the Just Giving page went mad.
“We were excited within the club but what we didn’t realise was how excited the swimmers and supporters were.
“I have nothing but praise for the 1,400 swimmers who literally went for gold, not only in the pool but in their fundraising efforts as well, quite simply outstanding.
“A huge thank you to everyone involved, as I say there is no I in team.”
Also in attendance at the event was Sir John Southby, who was the leader of the first event in 1990.
Roger said he “couldn’t believe how the event had grown and how professionally it was run”.
John said: “When we started it in 1990, we thought it might last two or three years and what the club has achieved is wonderful.”
David Burr, president of the Rotary Club of Grantham, also presented flowers to Sheila Redman, whose late husband Andrew was a member of the organising team for many years.
This year saw 228 teams compete from across Grantham and the surrounding area where six to eight swimmers swam in a 50-minute relay to raise money for charities.
Of the money raised, Hubert Lewczuk, Tilley CEO and trustee of the Worth Waynflete Foundation, donated the £1,000 for the event to reach the “magical figure”, added Roger.
Other standout donations included four teams from the Sir Isaac Newton Primary School who raised £1,840 and 16 teams from Sir William Robertson Academy, in Welbourn, who raised just under £4,500.
Alongside thanking the members of the Rotary Club, Roger had some other people to thank.
These included: the Grantham & Kesteven Rotary Club, Grantham Sunrise Rotary Club, Inner Wheel, Grantham Twinning Association, Inspire Plus, volunteers from Sir William Robertson Academy and Grantham Girl Guides who were also the main event sponsor and many other individual people.
Plans are already underway for next year’s event which will be taking place on February 7 and February 8, 2025.
It is hoped that the money raised will be presented to charities at a special evening in June.
