Swimmers’ great lengths

A local swimming club celebrated a fundraising feat in December when members took part in a 25-hour sponsored swim relay.

One of Northgate Swimming Club’s youngest members, six-year-old Charlotte Smith, raised over £800 by swimming at total of 60 lengths of the pool at Bridgnorth Leisure Centre, nearly a mile of the 58 the participants covered in total.

The swim started at 5pm on 27 December and carried on until 6pm on the following day, with over 50 swimmers taking part to swim 2,797 lengths of the pool. Club stalwarts Gordon Davies and Sarah Jones stayed for the duration of the gruelling event, encouraging participants and making sure the swim ran smoothly and in accordance with the rules. Around £3,000 was raised, with money being split between the club and the fund for former Bridgnorth Rugby Club player Jason Francis, who died in Australia in December.