‘Charlotte’s swim’ raises over £2,500
Thursday, 29 April 2010
A TEACHER from Moreton whose daughter has leukaemia has praised the local community for rallying round to make a fund-raising swimathon a huge success.
Karen Harding, who teaches at St David’s Primary School in Moreton, organised the sponsored swimathon at Shipston Swimming Pool earlier this month to raise funds for Children with Leukaemia. Karen’s three-year-old daughter Charlotte is currently fighting the disease.
After a front page article in the Cotswold Journal publicised Karen’s event, the local community rallied round to support it, helping to raise £2,500 for the charity, with money still coming in. The charity supports families but also helps fund research programmes into the possible causes and cures for the disease.
Thirty-three-year-old Karen said 13 people were originally planning to take part in the swim, but after the Journal article appeared, more volunteers came forward.
Karen said: “I had 22 swimmers in the end and the children who swam were simply amazing with one six-year-old managing to swim 26 lengths.
“I managed the mile and more (80 lengths) and everyone achieved their own personal goals.
“Shipston Swimming Pool were truly great hosts and a very touching story is that one of the lifeguards was so touched by Charlotte’s courage that he gave a kind and very meaningful donation.
“Collectively we managed to swim nearly 15 miles. The whole afternoon was truly amazing and we were so touched by everyone’s support, including Budgen’s in Moreton who so kindly donated all the refreshments and water for the swimmers because Charlotte puts in regular appearances in their store.”
Charlotte has 12 months of treatment to go. Karen added: “I’m so proud that we can show her when she’s old enough to understand how important it is to give as well as to receive.”
