It’s been a few months since a Cranleigh Swimming Club update, but I’m delighted to report that we’re back! Back writing articles for the magazine, and more importantly for our members, back in the pool.
As a wider community, Covid has affected us all in different ways. Some people have had to face more challenges than others, some very difficult. But common to us all is that we have had to sacrifice doing so many things that we love. So, as you can imagine, the benefit to our swimmers of being back in the water has been huge.
It goes without saying that swimming with our club provides significant physical upsides. But what many might not appreciate is the difference it makes to mental wellbeing. For many of our swimmers, pushing themselves hard in the water provides a time to unwind.
Talking about the benefits of swimming segues nicely into a recruitment drive! As a club, we are always on the lookout for new members. We are a small and friendly club, with excellent coaches and high ambitions. In recent years, we’ve had swimmers who have swum at regional and national levels.
Of course, those standards only come with years of practice. But every swimming journey must start somewhere. Naturally, our new joiners are typically at the younger end. If your child loves swimming and has completed at least Learn to Swim stage 6, then Cranleigh Swimming Club could be the ideal next step.
Attracting new members helps a small club like ours maintain its financial health. This is important because the pandemic has been very difficult financially for our organisation. Each year, our primary revenue generators for the club are our three Open Meets. These galas typically raise over £15,000 profit each year and are critical for the club’s sustainability. Last year, two of those galas were cancelled, and it will be at least the same this year. Whilst our costs have reduced, that has still left us with a big hole to fill.
The upshot of this is a renewed drive by our dedicated club committee and volunteers to ensure the financial stability of the club. Last year was the clubs 50th anniversary. Although Covid put our celebrations on ice, we intend to be going many years more.
Much of this effort will translate into fundraising. But, as a club, rather than simply asking for support, we want to give back. This means swimming club members will be more visible throughout the village in the coming months. If you have specific ideas of how our young swimmers could help within the community please get in touch. And likewise, if you are part of a local organisation or business interested in supporting the club, we’d love to hear from you.
In the meantime, we will enjoy the return to the water. Even our handful of over 18 swimmers, who have frustratingly had to wait longer than others, will be back in days.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us get there. This includes Cranleigh Leisure Centre who welcomed us back so quickly once rules allowed. After previous lockdowns, the return to the pool and Covid protocols are now a smooth and well-practised operation. This was also in no small part due to our army of parent volunteers who have so widely given up their time. Their efforts have helped to keep our swimmers, coaches and the community safe.
Things seem to be returning a bit more to normal. If trends can keep moving in the right direction, the milestones will keep coming. And it won’t be long before I can report again about swimmers’ successes in competitions. Until then, keep well and enjoy the increasing freedom.
If you are interested in joining Cranleigh ASC, visit our website: www.cranleighsc.org
