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Today’s speakers were no strangers to the Rotary Club. Mandy Hancock and Paula Rutherford have supported the Club’s Charity Swimathons through their involvement with the Swindon Dolphins. Both are not only full time teachers but also qualified swimming coaches who devote most of their spare time to training the younger members of Swindon Dolphins.
Concerned about the lack of opportunities for disabled children who love swimming, Mandy and Paula were instrumental in setting up Swim Links within the Dolphins seven years ago. Open to children of all abilities and all disabilities, Swim Links provides monthly coaching sessions free of charge and currently has 20 regular swimmers. They then formed the Para Squad to provide training sessions specifically for young disabled swimmers. The aims and objectives of Para Squad are to build secure disability swimming pathways in Swindon and to help children with disabilities develop their swimming to their full potential. It not only offers weekly swimming sessions, free of charge, but also includes “land training” in a gym at half cost. Using the Milton Road swimming baths Para Squad has 13 regular members. Some of the Squad have entered competitions and Inclusion Galas in Bristol and Gloucester, also the Rotary Swimathon. The winning is not necessarily the most important thing for the youngsters, what thrills them the most is simply the taking part in competitions and completing several lengths of the pool.
Costs are rising and funds are running low. Obviously using Milton Road Baths and subsidising the “land training” in the gym costs money, but now Mandy and Paula would like to organise an Inclusion Gala in Swindon. They estimate the cost of such a Gala, including set-up fees, licences, medals and so on, will be in the region of £820.
On proposing a vote of thanks to Mandy and Paula on behalf of the Club Ken Winslow presented them with a cheque for £100 intended specifically for their work with the disabled youngsters.
'What We Do' Main Pages:
Corporate Membership enables small, medium and large businesses to join Rotary. Corporate Membership gives a company a unique platform for service, networking and professional and personal growth, rooted within the local community
moreWill you join our 250-Club lottery? We have run it for more than 25 years and in that time it has raised tens of thousands of Pounds for charity
moreRotary is one of the largest and most successful global membership and humanitarian service organisations in the world. It has 1.4 million members in over 200 countries.
moreWe make another donation to the charity which provides emergency shelter and assistance when disasters strike
moreA Partner Club is a Rotary club that supports ShelterBox's work in disaster relief by donating over £2,000 in a Rotary year
moreRotary’s second major donation, of £208,000, was handed over on 7th July 2021 when local Rotarians visited the Great Western Hospital to view the build progress of the nearly completed radiotherapy unit.
moreBrighter Futures launched their Radiotherapy Appeal in 2015. Today, 7 years later, a ribbon cutting ceremony has taken place at the Great Western Hospital
moreRotarian Terry Williams' remarkable and unique fund raising effort, living in a ShelterBox emergency tent for a week in the Market Place, Highworth
moreSadly, Michael Bran, the last surviving Founder Member of the Rotary Club of North Wiltshire, the origin of the Club now called the Rotary Club of Swindon North and Thamesdown, passed away on 27 April 2025.
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