Keep Guisborough Amateur Swimming Club swimming

About GASC

Guisborough Amateur Swimming Club is registered with Swim England and is a not for profit organisation, run 100% by volunteers. The club operates at Guisborough Pool, a 4*25m pool, and has around 70 members. It was founded around 40 years ago and over the years, hundreds of young people have had the opportunity to improve their swimming and enjoy the fun and friendly atmosphere. It is a much loved and popular club in Guisborough, supporting swimmers at all levels, from beginners to National competitors. As well as the health and fitness benefits, the children are able to socialise and make friends. The majority of the members are resident in Guisborough and the surrounding Boroughs of Redcar & Cleveland and Middlesbrough in the district of Teesside in the North East of England.

The club culture of volunteering extends to the teenage members and many of them regularly turn up and help with the coaching of our younger swimmers. They show a great deal of dedication and commitment, passing on their enthusiasm for swimming and the club, while gaining valuable work experience. 

Why are we fundraising?                                               The global COVID-19 pandemic has forced the closure of Guisborough Pool for the second time this year. The club has now missed 6 months of swimming in 2020 which has impacted on the current and future membership numbers. The usual cycle of younger swimmers coming through to the join the club from swimming lessons has been disrupted, as swimming lessons were cancelled due to the pool closure. Swimmers were able to swim on a reduced basis during September and October, when the pool briefly reopened.  Despite the fall in member numbers, the club still needs to hire the pool for the same amount of time, to comply with social distancing regulations. The children have to swim in smaller groups, which has reduced the number and duration of sessions available to swimmers. 

The pandemic has restricted the fundraising options for the club and the annual sponsored swim and other social and celebration events were unable to take place. The annual club championships gala and our local Moors League were cancelled and our swimmers have not had the opportunity to participate at local and regional galas. Unfortunately this has coincided with increased costs to implement COVID secure procedures, including PPE and providing safeguarding training for the COVID Liaison Officers.

The club runs on a not for profit basis and sets fees to cover costs in order to remain affordable to families. As such the temporary drop in numbers has had a devastating financial impact.

December 2020 Club Challenge Event - Virtual Cleveland Way

Each of our squads has been challenged to walk the length of the Cleveland Way return journey - 218 miles from 1 December 2020 to 31 December 2020. It's also the same distance as the return journey to Ponds Forge Pool in Sheffield. Gala's at Pond's Forge are a popular annual event - sadly cancelled this year, due to COVID we even missed getting up at 5am to get there on time! 

We will post some updates throughout the challenge and provide details of the up to date number of miles recorded and which squad is in the lead. If the squads walk even further - there will be a prize for the most miles walked.                                                                                                                               If you would like to sponsor our swimmers, you can click donate and sponsor the whole team. You can leave a message in the comments section if you would like.               If a swimmer has asked you to sponsor their squad, you can do this by selecting a sponsorship reward from the rewards section of the page. To sponsor higher amounts than £1, please select multiple reward quantities.

Having missed all their galas this year, GASC swimmers are ready for this challenge and we can't wait to see how many miles they can complete - Good luck team!    

Visit from Simon Clarke MP - Friday 11 December 2020

After hearing about our crowdfunding campaign, Simon Clarke MP visited the pool to talk to me, Andrew Young (head coach) and Jon Walton (COVID lead) about the challenges facing pools and swimming clubs. Watch the story here:

Click here to view the news story!

How will we use your donations?

All donations will go towards covering the costs of running the club, including hiring the pool, training volunteers, insurance costs, Swim England Fees, maintaining equipment, such as lane ropes, and complying with COVID regulations.

2021 is looking equally as uncertain as 2020, however we are hopeful for a return to normal operating in 2021. The committee and coaches are looking forward to getting back to training and welcoming existing and new members. It's vital that we do all we can to keep fees at an inclusive level to minimise the financial impact and harm already caused by COVID. It is so important the kids can enjoy their sport and leisure time again. While we appreciate the devastating impact of the pandemic and the ongoing Tier 3 restrictions in the Tees Valley, the committee of GASC asks for your help and support at this difficult time.

Membership and Further Information

If you are interested in getting involved or becoming a member, please have a look at the website and get in touch.

http://www.guisboroughasc.co.uk/

Corporate Sponsors & Corporate Donors

Thank you to our reward sponsors and corporate donors from all at GASC.

Please get in touch if you would like to sponsor our campaign.

Rewards may take a few days to appear available to purchase, so please check back soon. 

Our Fabulous Sponsors - Check out their pages!

Cleveland Cascades Limited    http://clevelandcascades.co.uk/

TNT Fitness - Gym & Fitness Centre          https://www.tnt-fitness.com/index.html 

The Dicemen - Live Band www.thedicemen.com

Longbeck Nurseries - Garden Centre   http://www.longbecknurseries.co.uk/

Top To Toe Teepees                                                        Party planners                 https://www.facebook.com/Top-to-toe-teepees-110393883890252/   

 Guisborough Swim and Fitness Centre       https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/guisborough-swim-and-fitness-centre/

Fletchers Farm - Farm Shop and coffee shop  https://fletchers-farm.co.uk/

The Yorkshire Cycle Hub - Cycle hire, repairs, shop & cafe                         http://www.yorkshirecyclehub.co.uk/

Morrisons Guisborough   https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/startWebshop.do

 Flowermaiden                                                   Florist flowers for all occasions                                   www.flowermaiden.co.uk/

The Chase - Slapewath Tearooms   https://www.facebook.com/TheChaseSlapewath    Eatery, Takeaway, Ice cream Parlour

Saks Hair & Beauty Guisborough   https://www.facebook.com/saksguisborough

 Boyes Department Store   https://www.boyes.co.uk/

Sport England Match Funding

Our application to Sport England for 50% match funding has been successful.

If we raise 50% Sport England will grant the remaining 50%.

It is vital we raise at least £2500 as a club to benefit from the matched funding pledged. 

Big thank you to Sport England for supporting GASC!