Help Medway Maritime Swimming Club

Aim

Our aim is to keep our swimming club open past the financial strain of COVID and inspire future health and happiness within our community

Our big Dream... with the extra money we can, 

Developing new experience and life skills... with your support and extra money we can

• Buy new starting blocks
• Buy backstroke flags and poles
• Funding a campaign to increase swimmer numbers in this Olympic year.
• Fund bursaries for local families who may need help.
• Train and further educate coaches, officials, and team managers
• Ensure the long-term financial stability of the club for future swimmers.
• Become even more inclusive for our athletes with disabilities.
• Work with schools and other organisations to ensure this fundamental life skill is accessible.
• 

The Impact of COVID

During the pandemic, we have planned to increase this fabulous experience to as many as possible. COVID introduced costs to the running of the club. We now need help to ensure we can offer the best experience to our swimmers and all those who will come in the future.

We have spent time and money on our website, social media, to keep the community informed, fit, and in the best mindset possible. 

As we cannot enter the pool we have been running over 7 hours a week of remote learning including land practice, goal setting, and mindfulness classes with some of the incredible local experts who have donated their time and knowledge. All whilst no swimmers have been able to get in the water through this lockdown.

Our coaches are working every evening and weekend's via zoom helping members through this lockdown running land training in lounges across Medway, keeping spirits up, and staying in touch until we are finally allowed back in the water.

Building our club Experience

2021 needs to be different from 2020 in every way. As we emerge from lockdown our friendly and inclusive club wants to expand opportunities for local children, and adults to train swim, and compete in this fabulous healthy 'life skills' sport. 

The residence of Medway and surrounding areas need to offer more spaces for all members of our community to feel included. Existing swimmers from the very young to much older rely upon swimming clubs for training, their health, and their mental wellbeing. Forming friendships, learning to be sportsmen and women with confidence, and sportsmanship.

About Medway Maritime SC

Our club will support over 200 swimmers including FINA (World) top 10 ten ranked athletes (we have 5 in our master's squad), a British record holder, and national standard swimmers.

• Our young athletes will learn and develop life skills and aspirations.
• Our competitive adult swimmers reach into their 80's+ and are going strong!
• Our disabled swimmers achieve amazing results up to National Gold medal winners.
• More than this we are a truly friendly swimming club for individuals and families. We are smaller than other Kent clubs but we 'box' above our weight in terms of national rewards, extending knowledge, and developing new technology.
• Our swimmers range from 7 to 85 years old who all feel a part of the team and everyone can choose to represent the club in galas and competitions from 8 years and up.
• It is so inspiring to help athletes to the first local Medway Championship final or personal best. The rewards of watching swimmers achieve their first county, regional or national qualifying times can be overwhelming and it's the reason so many give up their time free of charge. 
• Here are some of the comments from our members who want to assure you that supporting our club is so worthwhile
• British Record Holder Jim Person aged 73 said, ' The coaching team has helped me become a Gold medal winner at Nationals and the club give me a chance to socialise with a new set of swimmers' in a (World) top 5 swimmer.
• Grant Cooper said, 'Working with the team at MMSC we are planning to go faster and aim for a top 3 place!
• County squad member Harri Isaacs aged 13 said, 'I miss swimming fast so much. I was improving,  making more friends and was so close to regaining my county qualifying time and  
• From our coaching team, 'We take great care and enjoyment from watching swimming develop, improve and achieve. We teach them life skills, and the swimmers love it!'

What are we doing next?

As we approach the time when it's safe to reopen we will reach out to as many as possible giving them the opportunity to enjoy the sport that we love. We want to inspire a new generation of swimmers to take up this healthy sport and who knows even find the next Olympic champion!

Where we need your help

If you are sympathetic to our appeal we would like you to donate what you can afford. If we raise enough to match our target Sport England may match upto 50% of your donation. Every penny counts. 

How can we encourage you to help?

Over the next 4 weeks, we will offer a number of prize opportunities allowing you to bid for a great reward! Please dig deep with what you can afford to help us to continue this for the health and wellbeing benefits of our members and future members. 

This project successfully funded on 10th April 2021