Toddlers’ big splash for a good cause
Stirling Water Babies have been making a big splash for the baby charity Tommy’s.
The babies and toddlers of the Stirling class held at Garratts International Health Club enjoyed a pirate themed event at the weekend and were sponsored to undertake challenges in the pool to fund vital research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage.
The local classes are run by Water Babies franchisee Elaine Jackman and see babies from only a few weeks old, up to little ones aged four. Among the challenges they tried out were swimming through a hoop, gathering floating balls and even swimming underwater.
And with the pirate fancy dress theme there was extra fun with swashbuckling bandanas and fake moustaches in the mix with Captain Jack Sparrow-style hats.
The local effort has so far raised £14,320 for Tommy’s, with Water Babies nationally hoping to smash its previous fundraising record of £491,000.
Elaine said:“Splashathon helps to raise funds for a really important cause, as well as being a lot of fun for everyone involved. We plan to make 2015 a record breaking year in terms of funds raised. We hope the community will dig deep to sponsor the children.”
Tommy’s chief executive Jane Brewin said:“Splashathon has become such a fixture in our calendar and it’s always great to hear how much fun everyone has. Its success is down to Water Babies and its clients throwing their weight behind it and showing a real passion for our cause. We’d like to thank the franchisee and all the families for taking part and helping Tommy’s to save more babies ’lives.”
To support the effort go to www.justgiving.com/ Waterbabies-Scotland- Central-2015 to donate or text MIXO53 with the amount you would like to donate eg £10 to 70070.
Money raised will help fund a new research centre in 2016, to focus on early miscarriage.