Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club receives £1,000 cash boost to help support disadvantaged members

One of the club's coaches with some young swimmers

A swimming club that is pledging to provide more support for its members from disadvantaged backgrounds has received a £1,000 cash boost

Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club has received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes in the first of four monthly awards through its Building Futures initiative.

And the cash will help the club buy 'starter kits' for some of its members as it aims to make swimming more accessible in the community as a life skill while instilling in young people a life-long love of the sport.

Karen Green from the club said: “This is absolutely amazing news, thank you Persimmon Homes.

“We will spend this money fulfilling a long-held wish to provide new members from disadvantaged backgrounds with free starter kits of hat, goggles, kick board, fins and pull buoy.

"Over the last four years the club has made a major commitment to supporting members with disabilities, from disadvantaged backgrounds or with long-term illnesses. To the best of our knowledge, we are the only swimming club in Hertfordshire to operate such a programme.

“We have purchased specialist disability equipment and established a hardship fund which currently offers remission of fees for around 10 per cent of our members.”

Building Futures will deliver more than £1million to good causes this year, supporting community groups in England, Scotland and Wales working with under-18s across three categories – education & arts, health, and sport.

This is the third year Persimmon has run its Building Futures scheme, and this year will see a total of 128 grants of £1,000 awarded across the company’s 32 regional businesses to improve local facilities and the delivery of vital community projects.

Three initiatives will go on to win £100,000 each through a national online public vote. The winners will be named at a gala dinner for finalists in November.

In each sector – education & arts, health, and sport – as well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize, while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.

Rachel Faulkner, sales director at Persimmon Homes North London, said: “Building Futures is all about helping young people and youth groups in our area, and it is a pleasure to support the fantastic community work being done by Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club."

Entries for the scheme will be accepted until mid-August, and anyone working with under 18s is encouraged to apply online.