On the last Friday in September, the pool at MyActive Buxton was buzzing with energy, determination, and more than a little splash as colleagues, members, and friends came together for a community swim challenge like no other.
The goal? To swim the distance of the English Channel (1,350 lengths) in three hours. The reality? An incredible 2,230 lengths completed, smashing the target out of the water!
Over 25 people took part, swimming anywhere from 12 to 220 lengths each. Four volunteers kept count from poolside while six enthusiastic supporters cheered the swimmers on, proving that encouragement can be just as powerful as endurance.
What made the event truly special were the personal stories behind the lengths:
Paul Bohan, CEO at Zink, said:
"We set up Zink & Swim with MyActive to encourage people who couldn't swim or wouldn't go on their own to get into the pool. A coach at our weekly session teaches beginners and advises improvers, and we've seen some incredible results, like mental and physical health improvements. Members support each other, so it's created a small community with a shared newly found love of swimming."
Together, the efforts of every single swimmer, counter, and supporter have raised almost £2,000 for Zink so far, with donations still coming in. A huge thank you to everyone who swam, counted, cheered, and donated.
Interested in getting involved? Anyone can join Zink & Swim, coaching is free, and new members can turn up at the MyActive Buxton pool at 11.45 am on Fridays.
Zink is a registered charity that empowers people and families to build a better future no matter what they’ve been through.
