Swimathon 2011

Swimathon 2011 - the world’s biggest fundraising swimming event - hits over 575 pools across the UK between 8-10 April, when 20,000+ swimmers will raise more than £2m for Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Swimathon Foundation.

The majority of the funds will help support Marie Curie Nurses who provide free nursing care to cancer patients and those with other terminal illnesses in the place of their choice.

The charity expects to provide care to around 29,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its hospices this year and is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.

Olympic gold medallist and Swimathon President Duncan Goodhew comments: “As we approach a quarter of a century of Swimathons, I’m delighted to report that the 2010 event enjoyed an astonishing 37 per cent rise in entries. And what’s really exciting is that around 2,500 of those who dived in told us that they only started swimming again when they entered Swimathon.

From these grass roots right up to our overflowing international trophy cabinet, it seems that Britain’s love affair with swimming really is back to stay.”

Now in its 24^th year, over half a million swimmers have taken part in Swimathon - swimming the equivalent of over 24 times round the world and raising more than £32 million for charity.