A sponsored swim at Queen’s Parks Sports Centre has raised over £9,000 which will be shared between two charities.
Organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, the sponsored swim saw around 80 local children help raise a total of £9,963.72 which has been split equally between Weston Park Cancer Charity and Ashgate Hospice – two charities that help the local community.
Every child who attends swimming lessons at Queen’s Park Sports Centre or the Healthy Living Centre in Staveley was invited take part and set their own target distances to help raise money for the charities.
Residents who take part in the council’s weekly Outswimming Cancer sessions were also invited to take part in the swim. The Outswimming Cancer sessions are supported by Weston Park Cancer Charity and are designed to help individuals who have had cancer, offering a supportive and encouraging environment.
In addition, the council’s own leisure team set themselves the target of swimming the length of the River Thames - the equivalent of 13,760 lengths - but surpassed this distance and swam a total of 14,489 lengths throughout the month of June.
Councillor Gavin Baldauf-Good, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for customers and business transformation, said: “I want to thank everyone who organised and participated in the sponsored swim throughout June. Together they raised an incredible amount of money for two very worthwhile causes that will have supported so many local people.
“It is also great to see people who take part in our Outswimming Cancer sessions get involved too as this is an activity that is very close to my heart.”
