This year’s Swimarathon, sponsored by Sure, has
earmarked half its funds to help upgrade the facilities of The
Guernsey Dyslexia Day Centre.
This major annual fundraising event, organised
by The Lions Club of Guernsey and The Guernsey Round Table, hopes
to go to even greater lengths this year for local charitable
causes.
Last year over 1,200 individuals took to the
pool and raised a total of £46,000. Half the proceeds bought the
Ambulance and Rescue Service a fully equipped brand new 4x4
vehicle. The remaining funds went towards other worthwhile local
causes and projects.
This year the Swimarathon will take place on
Friday 3 to Sunday 5 October at Beau Sejour.
The Lions Club and Round Table have agreed to
give £20,000 from their most successful annual fundraising
initiative to the Guernsey Dyslexia Day Centre. Any additional
funds raised will be split between the two clubs and will go
towards other worthwhile local causes within the community.
The Guernsey Dyslexia Day Centre was founded in
1986, and provides teaching for both children and adults.
Founding member and Chairman Deputy Mike O’Hara
said that this donation will be invaluable in helping them improve
their facilities.
“We are absolutely ecstatic that some of the
Swimarathon funds will come our way. It couldn’t have arrived at a
better time,” he said.
The money will go towards providing a dyslexia
library, as well as kitting out the teaching room with new desks,
chairs, projectors and teaching aids and moving the toilet
facilities.
“With the improved facilities we will be able
to offer an array of teacher and parent training courses that
wouldn’t have been possible before. The building we occupy at the
moment has not been upgraded for 20 years and the news that we will
now be able to refurbish it is music to our ears,” he said.
Sure’s Programme Director, Stan Fitzgerald said
that he was thoroughly looking forward to this year’s
Swimarathon.
“We hope that the local community will get
behind us once again to ensure that the event raises at least as
much money as last year.”
Independent chairman of the organising
committee, Jeff Kitts, said that all the organisers are thoroughly
looking forward to this year’s event.
“Last year was excellent, and we raised a
magnificent amount of money, one of the highest totals to date.
It’s always great to see so many islanders getting into the spirit
of the weekend. At this early stage we just want to make sure that
everyone has the date in their diaries,” he said.
Anyone wishing to take part should form a team
of roughly eight people, choose a captain, complete an entry form
and most importantly collect as many pledges as possible.