The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
As you swim through a storm...
Quiz question: If you organise a sporting event in the middle of winter, where can you guarantee it will be warm and wind free? Answer: A swimming pool.
So, as storm Ciara (the biggest of the century) raged outside, Rotaryswim 2020 took place at the Jack Hunt Pool in Peterborough. A revival event as Rotaryswim last took place in 2017.
Swimmers were raising sponsorship for their own individual charities whilst helping Peterborough Rotary Club to fund their own good causes. Swimmers could swim for 25 or 55 minutes, individually or as a team.
A few statistics: 52 swimmers took part in four hours with 1,762 lengths completed. The highest number of lengths recorded were 98 and 92 by two sisters. One ancient mariner decided to swim the same number of lengths as his age (72) and Rotary Past District Governor Tim Tucker travelled from St. Ives to swim 54 lengths before amazingly moving on in the afternoon to swim in a Rotary Swimarathon
at Grantham!
Stars of the event were doubtless the 22 swimmers from the Peterborough Special Olympics team, led by Johanna Sydenham, who booked lanes in the first hour. They received certificates of achievement and medals then met the mayor before going off for celebratory tea/coffee/soft drinks.
No event can take place without sponsorship and Nene Construction Management Services from Peterborough covered some of the costs of hiring the pool.
Importantly, it is anticipated over £2,500 has been raised. All who swam will get Gift Aid to add to the half going to their chosen charity. Why not join us and swim next year?
Recently Huntingdon Cromwell Rotarians staged their annual Boxing Night dinner. An opportunity for 12 talented young fighters from the Huntingdon and Peterborough branches of Cambridgeshire Constabulary Amateur Boxing Club (CAMPOL) to climb through the ropes at the Burgess Hall to compete against opponents from across the region (results and photos featured in the sport section of a previous issue). It is thought this evening also will have raised over £2,500 of which £750 was presented to CAMPOL at the event to support young fighters as they progress.
A new trophy, purchased in memory of previous organiser Reg Dixon, was presented to Chris Taylor in recognition of her work behind the scenes.