The Swimathon Foundation announced Tuesday that its 2020 Swimathon has raised more than £1 million for cancer research and other charitable causes.
More than 18,000 swimmers participated in the 2020 event, using the MySwimathon digital option to swim over single sessions or across multiple days, in accordance with local regulations pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. The swimmers covered some 19.5 million meters, bringing the total raised by Swimathon since its founding in 1986 to more than £54 million.
Money raised will benefit the word of Cancer Research UK and the Marie Curie organization as well as “promoting swimming and underpinning its vital role in health and wellbeing across the United Kingdom.”
“The Swimathon community has stuck together in the face of adversity this year and I’m so proud at how we’ve overcome the odds to put on another successful event,” Swimathon Foundation chair Anthony Kendall, OBE, said. “We made a quick pivot to a digital offering and launched the MySwimathon tracker to allow swimmers to take part in the challenge in a more flexible way, whilst raising crucial funds for charity.
“I want to say a heartfelt thank you to leisure operators who we worked closely with to ensure Swimathon could take place, and of course to the 18,000 swimmers who came with us on the journey and have made such huge contributions to vital causes. The role of the Swimathon Foundation has always been to support community swimmers, protect facilities and help charities, who have suffered, and I believe we have done that this year and hope we can continue to do so in the future.”
In addition to its contributions to cancer research, which are more important given the global financial climate during a pandemic, the Swimathon Foundation distributed £50,000 in need-based grant funding to support groups promoting swimming.
“It’s fantastic news that this year’s Swimathon has raised £1m and we’re so grateful to everyone who took part in the challenge,” said Cancer Research UK’s head of events and sports, Emma Hyatt. “Cancer Research UK, like many charities, has been hit hard by the pandemic. During these difficult times, support for our life-saving work has never been more vital and the money raised through Swimathon will help us continue to make progress for people affected by cancer, who have never needed us more.”