Swimmingly Successful Swimarathon

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swimathron1The Henley-on-Thames Lions Club Swimarathon took place on Saturday 9th March at LA Fitness in Henley. LA Fitness and their staff have supported this event for several years now by closing the pool to its members and so allowing us to use the pool and changing facilities for free. The cafe there also prepares for our event – getting in extra supplies for hungry swimmers and their parents/supporters.

The Swimarathon was opened by the Mayor, Liz Hodgkin, who also acted as a lane counter alongside her husband who is a member of the Henley Lions.

swimathron3About 150 swimmers took part with teams from Trinity School, Valley Road  School, St Mary’s School, Nettlebed School, Mencap, 1st Henley Guides, the Sea Cadets and the Scouts. The latter were a team of two – father and son – they had come to support a member of the Guides team and discovered that the Scouts were not taking part this year so quickly managed to get their swimming kit and swam in the same session as the Guides – a bit of friendly rivalry!

The event raised £3590.06 for charity – half of that sum is kept by individual teams for their own charity and the other half is used by the Lions for local charities.

It is understood that St Mary’s School are using their sponsorship for a school in Africa.

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Photo: The Mayor, David Skinner (President of Henley Lions) and some of the Trinity School swimmers