Cash Boost For Community Groups!

A special presentation was held last night as the Rotary Club of Market Harborough gave grants totalling over £6,000 to 19 community groups and organisations.

The money was raised at the SwiMarathon, held at Harborough Leisure Centre in March, when 39 teams with over 190 swimmers, swam over 3,918 lengths at one of the biggest fun swimming events in the area.

The grants were decided by a panel of independent judges and ranged from £100 to £500.

The Rotary Club of Market Harborough SwiMarathon awards at Robert Smyth Academy.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

Groups handed money were:  Harborough FM, 5^th MH Scouts, Robert Symth Academy, Shopmobility, HAB Antibullying, Harborough Christian Counselling Service, Harborough Community Church, Northampton Sailability, Disabled Swimming Club, Great Bowden Recital Trust, Great Bowden Academy, MH under 15 Rugby Team, Harborough Division Brownies, 1st Bowdens Scout Group, Home-Start South Leicestershire, Friends of Ridgeway Academy, MH Jubilee Foodbank, Harborough Primary STEM Partnership and Spectrum Leics Autistic Society.

Gordon Etherington, Chairman of the SwiMarathon Committee, spoke to Hfm:

There were also prizes awarded to swimmers and individuals who had contributed to the success of the event:

The Tom and Barbara Walker Award for outstanding achievement (2019)

This award, given in honour of former Rotarian the late Tom Walker, and his widow Barbara who is a regular, generous sponsor of the SwiMarathon, is given to the person who has the most impact on the success of the SwiMarathon. For 2019, the award was given to Sarah Hiscock, the teacher from Little Bowden School who has organised teams of swimmers for many years and always delivers the paperwork and sponsorship forms very well.

Junior star swimmer: Sylvia Vaughan Smith who swam enthusiastically and with beautiful style, in one of the teams from The Bower House.

Star swimmer: Jonathon Walpole who has swum with the Street Pastors team for many years and again gathered lots of sponsorship money.

Most lengths swum: Market Harborough Swimming Club Bluebirds team.

Star person: Chris Smith, a first timer who swam alone, for the team Breathe Easy

Best team name: Market Harborough Rugby Club under 15s, who called themselves “Splash 4 Cash

President Carole Baldam with Junior Star Swimmer Sylvia Vaughan-Smith. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

President Carole Baldam with Star Swimmer Jonathon Walpole. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

President Carole Baldam with Adrian Sellers who collected the award on behalf of the Bluebirds team for most lengths swum. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

President Carole Baldam with Star Person Chris Smith. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

President Carole Baldam with Emma Potts of Best Team Name Splash 4 Cash. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

Centre, Winner of the Tom & Barbara Walker Award for Outstanding Achievement 2019 Marianne Quinsee with left, Barbara Walker and right, President Carole Baldam. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

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