Harrogate swimmers urged to dive into Swimathon challenge to raise money for charity
Swimmers across the Harrogate district are being urged to make a splash for good causes this spring by signing up for Swimathon 2025.
The sponsored event – the world’s biggest annual fundraising swim – is returning to pools across North Yorkshire from 28 till 30 March, including Harrogate Leisure Centre and Wellness Centre and Knaresborough Leisure Centre and Wellness Centre.
Swimmers of all ages and abilities are being encouraged to take the plunge and raise money for Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie and the Swimathon Foundation.
There’s a variety of individual challenges to choose from - from 400m up to a Triple 5k – or teams of two to five people can take part in a 1.5k or 5k relay.
Anyone who can’t make one of the organised sessions can sign up to MySwimathon and, between 21 March and 6 April, choose a distance, time and venue that suits them to play their part and complete their swim.
Swimathon President and Olympic gold medallist, Duncan Goodhew MBE, hopes to inspire people to enjoy the benefits of swimming, while making a real difference to people across the UK.
He said: “Every year at Swimathon I meet incredible people with incredible stories; those who are swimming for the first time, those that are swimming in memory of a loved one, those that are swimming unimaginable distances, those that are recovering from cancer, or those that are facing a terminal illness - and I know this year will be no different.
"Everyone has their own story and everyone can set their own Swimathon challenge.
"You just have to be you; whatever your ability, whatever your age, whatever your drive.
"To me, everyone is a Swimathon star.”
Since 1986, when Swimathon started as an initiative to increase the number of people swimming at local authority pools, more than 750,000 swimmers have taken part raising over £55 million for a variety of nominated charities.
Lisa Millett, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for North Yorkshire, said: “Swimathon is such a great way to encourage people to dip their toe in the water and get swimming.
"It really doesn’t matter if you’re not the fittest or the fastest, because there’s no greater motivation for taking part than helping to support causes that are close to the hearts of so many.
“Nearly one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime but, through challenges like Swimathon, all of us can help beat it.
"That’s why we’re urging swimmers to grab their caps and costumes, raise money and help our scientists to keep making new discoveries and breakthroughs. Together, we are beating cancer.”
Hannah Grant, National Events Manager for Marie Curie, added: “Swimathon is a fun and family friendly way for people to take on a new challenge and raise money for a good cause.
"Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies without the care they need.
"No matter what your ability, just by heading down to your local pool this March you can raise money to help Marie Curie continue to bring expert palliative and end of life care to more people, whatever their illness.”
For more information and to sign up, visit https://www.swimathon.org/