ABP in the Humber has given the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Water Rats open water swim club £1,000 towards their 24-hour swim challenge held in July.
Simon Bird, Regional Director for the Humber, said: “This is such a worthwhile club. Giving people an opportunity to swim in open water but within a safe environment is of great benefit to many people. At the same time, their actions are also being used in raising money for other local causes.”
Alex Martinelli, Water Rat member, said: “ABP’s support over many years is very much appreciated. Grimsby and Cleethorpes Water Rats history can be traced back to the 1890’s and it is with the generous support of companies like ABP that the club is now well-established as a community organisation with over 190 members of all ages and abilities.
“Some train members for triathlons, others are social swimmers, while others swim for fitness. We all work towards improving local facilities for the sport and contributing to the community.”
The 24-hour swimathon raised £2,645 for the Sunflowers Children’s action group, the elected charity this year. Teams of up to six swimmers as a relay swam the distance of the 21-mile English Channel in 21 hours.
The open-water swimming club has more than 200 members of all abilities and ages. The Community Amateur Sports Club is run by volunteers and their aim is to provide open-water swimming at a grass roots level. Their home is Alexandra Quay Marina in Grimsby’s Alexandra Dock.
Their next event is the Dip a Day in December challenge where each day the Water Rats members pledge to take a chilly dip in the dock while raising money for charity. Over the past three years, they have raised £7,500 for local charities.
In 2021 ABP donated funds to help the group acquire their first clubhouse and assisted in some giant ABP logoed buoys.
