Target reached!
Help Salisbury Stingrays continue to thrive!!!
Support Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club
Salisbury, England, United Kingdom
Aim
To raise much needed funds to support our swimming club during a period of COVID-related financial hardship.
WHO WE ARE…
Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club is the main swimming club in South Wiltshire. We are also one of the oldest, dating back to 1889 when swimmers swam in the local river!
We offer swimming lessons and competitive swimming squads which cater for swimmers of all abilities - from learning to swim to county, regional and national levels. We also have a swimming squad for our senior 'masters'.
Salisbury Stingrays is facilitated by a team of teachers, coaches and parents, who dedicate their time to the smooth running of the club. We have approximately 400 members, from age 4 to 90+ years old!
SO WHY ARE WE FUNDRAISING?
Like most ‘grass roots’ sports clubs Salisbury Stingrays is facing a difficult period due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Despite fundraising, we are experiencing short term financial hardship.
Our annual financial plan relies on:
- income from membership fees
- income from swimming events which we organise throughout the year
Without these two income streams, the club struggles to cover its costs.
Following the COVID-19 lockdown announcement, the club sadly lost some of its members and its water polo coach. During lockdown, to reflect not actually being in the pool, we reduced our fees for our members. And when we have been back in the pool, income from membership fees has been limited. This is because not as many swimmers can swim at one time due to social distancing and pool hours being restricted.
In addition, we had to cancel our annual swimming competition. This typically generates over £8k! We also had to cancel water polo matches and our Swim School galas which reduced our usual income as well.
These income streams are pivotal in helping the club to breakeven. And running a swimming club is expensive! We need to cover the costs of overheads, such as pool hire and insurance, and also our regular staffing costs.
We really want to ensure that the club is able to keep operating for its members and the community. It would be a tragedy if South Wiltshire lost its swimming club that has existed for over a century.
We are very grateful to Sports England and Crowdfunder who are helping organisations like us get back on the road to recovery.
HOW WILL WE SPEND THE MONEY RAISED?
- We will invest in our Swim School special badge scheme. Our unique Swim School programme offers children the opportunity to earn badges that are awarded when they reach different skill levels.
- We will invest in our coaching staff. The funds will be spent on retaining these freelance coaches who are ineligible for government support. They are vital to ensure the future of the club!
- We will buy new equipment. At present, the club has old style starting blocks which don’t meet the competition requirements.
- We will invest in the development our Swim School teachers. The funds will go towards training them in the latest swimming teaching methods. Many of our teachers are young people, which also helps local people gain employment.
- We will concentrate on re-training coaches in order to restart our water polo team.
- We will support local people who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 so they can afford swimming lessons or competitive swimming squads.
HOW CAN YOU HELP US?
- By purchasing a reward (donated from local community), entering our prize draw or by making a donation
- By offering a reward or prize that can then be purchased on this site. Please contact [email protected]
- By sponsoring a ‘multiplier’ project – club members will set themselves mini projects to help us meet our target
- By considering business sponsorship – by becoming one of our corporate sponsors your company can enjoy multiple advertising opportunities throughout the club. In addition, it is an opportunity to link your brand to a healthy lifestyle organisation in the local community. Please contact [email protected]
- By joining our swimming club - we’d love you to join our club! Salisbury Stingrays welcomes new members of all ages and ability. Please contact us ([email protected]) for lesson availability or a free trial squad session.All the money raised goes to the club, and if we hit our target, 40% will be match-funded by Sport England.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT...
We hope you enjoy the Rewards section! We hope there is something for everybody! The rewards can be collected outside Five Rivers Leisure Centre on Monday and Thursday evenings, and the prize draw will be drawn on 24.7.21 at Five Rivers.
Scroll down below and you'll find photos of some of the great items we have on offer - grab yourself a bargain :) :) A BIG thank you to all the local businesses, coaches and members who have donated items.
LINKS TO OUR COMMUNITY…
Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club is an important part of our local community. Swimming is a vital life skill particularly in this area where there are so many rivers! In fact one of the pools where we swim at is called Fiver Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre :)
We believe everybody should have the opportunity to learn to swim and we keep our swimming lesson fees as low as possible so swimming is accessible to all. Olympic swimmer, Duncan Goodhew, has recently urged parents to prioritise swimming lessons from a safety point of view.
Salisbury Stingrays is committed to helping all swimmers to achieve their potential, and to enjoy participating in aquatic sports! South Wiltshire is a fairly rural area so the provision of a swimming club is important to help keep people fit.
Swimming should be readily available to everyone as part of a healthy lifestyle and we have a role to play in supporting the nation to be active!
As a club, we recognise the impact of giving young people in particular the opportunity to develop, excel and find life-long enjoyment in sport; not only through participation, but through team spirit and friendship.
We provide this key service for the local community on a not-for-profit basis.
HOW COVID-19 HAS AFFECTED US
It is quite hard when swimming pools suddenly close if your favourite sport is swimming! But our coaches quickly implemented comprehensive ‘land training’ classes live over Zoom to all club members.
Many of our members have told us that these sessions were a lifeline during an incredibly challenging time. They told us that sessions brought structure to their day and the physical exercise made them feel happier and healthier. They also told us that seeing their coaches and swimming friends most days (albeit on a screen) helped them feel part of a supportive and close community.
In addition, members were given home-based training plans, demonstration videos and weekly fitness/exercise challenges. This culminated in a sponsored fitness ‘Zoomathon’!
It was great for everyone when we were allowed back in the pool and the volunteers showed their team spirit by becoming ‘COVID-liaison officers’, looking after the swimmers as they queued outside ‘swim-ready’ in their swimming gear!
The impact of COVID-19 has made us all appreciate how important swimming is. It has brought into sharp focus that being part of the Salisbury Stingrays ‘family’ gives members a real sense of belonging and a shared sense of purpose.
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We would like to promote the following local organisations as they have generously donated some brilliant experiences and items for our Rewards section:
Wiltshire Creative - What's On
Discount Food Stores - Salisbury
Thank you very much to www.fish4home.co.uk who are an independent family run business. Fish4Home deliver restaurant quality seafood to your door and have kindly donated a voucher to our campaign.
A big thank you to our local Tesco store for all the great items they have donated to us. Please see their Facebook page to see how they support clubs like ours Tesco Extra Salisbury Community Page
We are delighted to be able to offer a John Lewis/Waitrose voucher. The store is conveniently located near to where we swim!
Thanks too to our brilliant head coach Chris White – Chris has generously donated fantastic fitness item – grab yourself some kit to keep fit!
We are really lucky to have been donated some super high-quality triathlon apparel – singlet tops and shorts – from the Super League Triathlon. The Super League Triathlon is the world’s premier swim-bike-run series, pitching the very best athletes against each other in quick and exciting race formats. Our fantastic COVID-liaison officer has worked on this event and the kit is perfect for anyone who is doing biathlons or triathlons.
Any further rewards or prizes will be gratefully received throughout our fundraiser. Please contact [email protected]
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE…
Over the years the club is proud to have produced County, Regional and National swimmers. Of notable achievement is the success of Hannah Drewett who has represented Great Britain on home soil at Olympic Distance triathlon. We also have current members who have reached the Olympic trials. Great examples of achieving your potential!
It is our vision for the club to become one of the top 10 clubs in the South West region. We recognise that it will take time and an abundance of enthusiasm and energy to achieve this ambitious vision – and the good news is we have a committee, and a teaching and coaching team with plenty of this!
We are in the process of becoming a charity and developing a 5 year strategy in order to ensure the club survives for future generations and can continue to offer its unique services to the community.
With a bit of financial support, the club is in a good position to achieve our ambitions and enable all of our swimmers to achieve their potential.
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Prize Draw Terms & Conditions
1. Who can enter - Over 18 and only residents of Great Britain
2. There is no limit on the number of entries per person. Users can enter the draw by paid entry (see point 3) or by free entry (see point 4).
3. Paid entry route - £5 for 5 entries (via Rewards section of this Crowdfunder page)
4. Free entry route – Post your name and email address to: Salisbury Stingrays Club Office, Fiver Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre, Hulse Road, Salisbury SP1 3NR.
5. Full name of the promoter: Salisbury Stingrays Amateur Swimming Club
6. Start date: 30.6.21. End date: midnight on 23.7.21
7. Prize details – A variety of prizes (chocolate, wine, toiletries, toys, headphones etc) are available. A minimum of 30 prizes are included in the draw.
8. Winners will be drawn randomly on 24.7.21 at Five Rivers Leisure Centre. Winners will be contacted by email or in person.
9. Claiming of prizes to be arranged with 'socially distanced' collection outside at Five Rivers Leisure Centre, Salisbury SP1 3NR, before 7.8.21.
10. Hard copy personal data provided for the draw will be kept securely and destroyed on 7.8.21. Electronic personal data provided for the draw is kept secure on the Crowdfunder website. Please see our GDPR compliant Privacy Policy
Sport England: Active Together has provided £2,000 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 4th August 2021