|
|
In 2002 we arranged our first sponsored swim to raise much needed funds for the Pennard Pool which had to be re-built. This event saw us raise £1,000. Following on from this first event, the sponsored swim became an annual event and over the past 8 years we have raised over £37,000 for the charities listed below. 2002 Pennard Pool re-build £1,000 2003 Evening Post Cancer Appeal £2,500 2004 Ty Olwen £4,000 2005 Noahs Ark Appeal (Children's Hospital for Wales) £4,500 2006 Morriston Hospital Oakwood Children's Ward £5,000 2007 Lawrence's Roundabout Well Appeal £7,400 2008 Wales Air Ambulance £9,000 2009 Northern Cleft Foundation £3,500
Although every charity has a worthwhile cause, I suppose our favourite was the Roundabout Well Appeal. The money raised from the swim was enough to build our own well in Africa which now supplies 2,500 villagers with clean water. The well bears a plaque with a picture of the little boy, Lawrence Prifti, who sadly died of a rare disorder a few years ago and who swan with Poseidon along with his sister. His brave mum, Virginia, has now raised enough money to build over 25 of theses roundabout wells in Africa in Lawrence's name. Jane and I were lucky enough to be invited to a reception at Downing Street to celebrate the achievements of the appeal and what an amazing experience it was! The Welsh Air Ambulance appeal raised the most amount of money in any one swim at £9,000. We visited the crew from the helicopter at their base at Fairwood Airport and what a great welcome we had. We were told that it costs around £1,000 every time the helicopter is used in an incident, so the children who took part in the swim helped to save the lives of 9 people.
|
