Over 4,000 swimmers from local schools and businesses took to the water at Les Quennevais this week for the 2018 Jersey Swimarathon, raising an incredible total of £120,000 which will help five charities expand their support programmes for carers across the island.
The five-day long Swimarathon, which will benefit Grace Crocker Family Support Foundation, Headway Jersey, Jersey Association of Carers, Jersey Child Care Trust and MIND Jersey, saw participants chalk up an impressive total of 27,000 laps.
President of the Lions Club of Jersey, Lion Ian Barette, said of the funds raised: “We continue to be overwhelmed by the generosity of the Islanders, and even more so by the enthusiasm of swimmers young and old when it comes to getting stuck in with the Swimarathon. This year’s incredible total will make a huge difference to the five local charities, and particularly to the young carers who dedicate so much of their time to improving the lives of those in need on the island.”
Each of the charities will receive £10,000 from the total raised to deliver support services to carers, many of whom are young people balancing their family responsibilities with their education.
James Le Feuvre, Executive Director of MIND Jersey, said: “The families and carers of those experiencing mental ill health are often the ‘unsung heroes’ of our community. We’re thrilled that this year’s Swimarathon has been such a success, and the incredible amount raised will help us in our mission to provide mental health aid training and further support to this invaluable group of islanders.”
The remainder of the money raised will go towards providing respite holidays for up to 60 local people at Maison des Landes Hotel, itself a project of the Lions Club of Jersey, as well as benefitting a diverse range of local good causes throughout the remainder of the year.
David Bailey, Head of Finance at RBC Wealth Management, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to support the Swimarathon and the Lions Club of Jersey for another year, and to see such a tremendous fundraising total is excellent news for the swimmers and charities alike. I’d like to congratulate all those who took part on their remarkable achievement. The money raised is a real testament to their efforts.
“I and the rest of RBC’s staff continue to be impressed by the number of young people who so enthusiastically take part in the Swimarathon each year. Young islanders are a key focus area for our organisation; we’re proud that the funds raised, particularly by the island’s youth population, will be such a valuable asset to those carers of a similar age.”
“The Swimarathon is a huge commitment for all those involved, taking almost a year to plan and execute,” continued Lion Ian Barette. “I’d like to express my personal thanks to all those involved: from our sponsors, RBC Wealth Management, whose enthusiasm and commitment we value greatly, to the thousands of school children, families, business teams and more who took to the pool this week. Our thanks must also go to all those who sponsored their friends and relatives, to those who came along to support, and to the staff of Les Quennevais.”
