A WORLD record attempt is taking place in Knaresborough this weekend and you can be part of it!

Many people will already have seen on the national news and in the media this week that the worldwide campaign to completely eradicate Polio is drawing to an end. Since 1985, Rotarians around the world have been working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to eradicate Polio by a programme of mass immunisation and now only four countries, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan still have endemic Polio although outbreaks do occur elsewhere from time to time.

On Saturday, February 25, Knaresborough Rotary Club is joining 100 other Rotary Clubs in 21 countries worldwide and 11,000 swimmers to draw attention to and raise money for the campaign and attempt a Guinness World Record for the most number of people swimming 100 metres non stop between noon and 1pm on that day.

The event for this area takes place at Knaresborough Swimming Pool and will be a high profile one attended by Paralympic swimmer bronze medal winner Claire Cashmore, the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland Ray Burman, the Rotary District Governor for North and West Yorkshire Willie Clark and the Mayor of Knaresborough, Coun Andrew Willoughby.

Local swimmers can take part and must be at least eight years old and able to swim 100 metres unaided. Entry costs are £3 for under 16s and over 60s, £5 for over 16s and adults. A donation from this fee will go to the Rotary End Polio Now campaign although sponsorship is also encouraged. Swimmers will only swim 100 metres.

You can still register to take part up until noon on Friday, February 24. For details of how to take part in the swimarathon, call in at Wild Orchid on Knaresborough High Street where swimmer packs and sponsorship forms are available or contact Sarah by emailing: rotaryswimkn@gmail.com

Please note Knaresborough Pool will be closed for general swim admissions during the world record swim attempt.

For more information, visit www.rotaryglobalswimarathon.org/ or you can follow updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/#!/Kn_Rotary (@Kn_Rotary)

Bucket collections for the Polio campaign are also taking place in Knaresborough Market Square and at the Co-op on Chain Lane on Saturday morning.

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Young visitors at Fountains Abbey have been encouraged to help our feathered friends by making their own bespoke bird boxes.

In a series of special workshops at the World Heritage Site, parents and children demonstrated their woodworking skills and took home new features for their gardens.

Staff were on hand to help constructing the perfect bird box as well as offering their expertise on the type of birds to look out for in gardens.

Cassandra White, visitor experience and learning officer said: “We’re really keen to get everyone a bit closer to the nature on their doorstep and building a bird box is the perfect way to encourage new wildlife into your garden as we head towards spring.

“And it has definitely proved popular with our visitors of all ages.”

The workshops were part of a series of half-term events at the abbey, which is Britain’s largest monastic ruin.

A two mile Wildlife Wander will take place on tomorrow, Saturday, February 18, which will offer the chance to discover more about the variety of wildlife that roams the 800 acre estate.

Children have also been taking part in a heraldic trail around the abbey, mill and water garden throughout the week.

The a bbey was founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks who later became Cistercian monks.

The Studley Royal Estate, a separate estate from Fountains Abbey until 1767, was inherited by John Aislabie in 1693. who devoted himself to creating the Water Garden.

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