Bro Ffestiniog Swimming Club Success

At the beginning of the year, 28 children from the area of Blaenau Ffestiniog travelled to Cardiff to compete in a National Urdd Swimming Gala. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After the gala, Paul Williams, who is the Ffestiniog Swimming Club’s coach, heard some of the children discussing how far the journey is from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul Williams decided to set a challenge for the children of the Swimming Club. The challenge was- To swim the distance from the pool in Blaenau Ffestiniog to the pool in Cardiff, in less than 48 hours! That is a total of 155 Miles. 249,450 Meters or 9,978 pool lengths. It was also decided that the children would receive a sponsor sheet to try to raise money for the Swimming Club. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bro Ffestiniog Swimming Club coach, Paul Williams said: “To be completely honest, after beginning I started to worry that this challenge would be too much for them”. The children were swimming in groups of 5 to 8 depending on age. After three or four hours, a new group of children would take their place. Some of the children swam all night, with staff and parents there to support. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“At the end of the 48 hours, the children had swum 284 miles, 18,228 length of the pool! This was almost double the enormous challenge that was set for them, and it’s positive to be able to say that the children have raised £4500 for the Swimming Club. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I can’t be more proud of the children, their effort and commitment is a credit to their parents and the Ffestiniog area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Mair Rowlands, The Cabinet Member for Healthy Gwynedd at Gwynedd Council added: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In a short period of time, the quality of the Swimmers of Ffestiniog’s Swimming Club has been recognised throughout north Wales. Many of them compete in national competitions, and we are proud to say that one 12 year old boy from Blaenau area has been chosen for the Wales skill squad. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would like to thank the swimmers’ parents for their constant support and the Bro Ffestiniog community for their generosity. They should be extremely proud
of these excellent young swimmers.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The money that has been raised will be invested back into the Club to continue the improvement and development of local swimmers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​