Tees Active launched a swimming challenge across their swimming pools in Billingham, Stockton and Thornaby, to coincide with Channel 4’s Sink or Swim challenge, which saw 11 celebrities aim to swim the English Channel in September. Over 100 people participated, swimming over 24,000 lengths and helping to raise over £500.
Tees Active Managing Director, Leon Jones said “we are extremely grateful for each person who took part in our latest swim challenge and helped us to raise money for such a great cause. The fact that the challenge motivated new swimmers to improve their skills and get involved is great to see. We hope that their stories encourage others to make a difference in the future.”
As part of the challenge, a group of non-swimming adults in Stockton-on-Tees overcome the odds to swim as many lengths as they can to raise money for this year’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign.
The adults, who are all part of Tees Active’s adult learn to swim scheme, motivated each other to improve their swimming abilities and raise as much money as possible. Tees Active Swimming Instructor, Julie Jobson, explained “every adult in the class started the scheme unable to swim, with ages varying from 35 to 70. Taking part in Tees Active’s challenge proved to be a really big motivator in our lessons and having a goal encouraged them to push themselves further.”
Stephen, 47, and his son, 9, are both part of Tees Active’s Learn to Swim Scheme as Stephen wanted to be able to swim with his son. “Like the others in the group, I couldn’t swim before I started. The Stand Up To Cancer swim challenge has been a great motivator for all of us and I’ve even got my son taking part too! I completed lengths during lessons and went to Splash when I could with my son to complete even more.”
Jean is one of the longest members of the group and explains, “I was 65 when I joined the scheme and I couldn’t swim at all before starting. Taking part in the Stand Up To Cancer swim challenge helped us all to push ourselves, I swam over 50 lengths and I’m really proud of my progress.”
Find out more about how Tees Active are working with partners to drive positive change in the community.
