Details released for next year's Horsham Lions Swimarathon at the Pavilions in the Park

Over the last seven years the Swimarathon has raised over £50,000 for Horsham Lions Club which has been donated to the following charities:

South East Lions Air Ambulance Night Flying Appeal.

Equipping the Soft Play Area and part of the ‘Sensory Room’ at The Horsham Springboard Project Centre.

Purchasing portable defibrillators for the three local secondary schools plus the QEII school for children with disabilities .

Providing equipment for The Butterfly Project and The Hop Skip and Jump Centre to help support local children and young adults with learning difficulties.

Providing equipment for Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice.

In 2019 Horsham Lions are supporting Jigsaw Trust which supports children and adults with autism.

The aims of Jigsaw Trust are to improve the lives of those affected by an autism spectrum disorder and to promote a greater knowledge and understanding of autism.

Founded on the principle of excellence through continual learning, the Trust aspires to provide the highest quality of education and lifelong learning possible.

Set up in 1999 by a group of local parents of children with autism, Jigsaw CABAS School now provides specialist education for 65 children aged 4-19 years. A separate Life Skills Centre has been established in Guildford which provides a home environment for students to increase their levels of independence by learning and practicing essential life skills.

Jigsaw Plus, established in 2012, has recently opened its new Centre for Lifelong Learning where it provides support for 31 adults with autism aged 18+, developing their independence and essential life skills. Additionally, the Trust has been operating a number of Social Enterprises; including, GARDENworks, ARTWorks and Cafe on the Park.

Cafe on the Park provides a unique environment in which Jigsaw Plus adult learners can undertake a wide variety of work experience tasks within a safe and supportive environment.

Jigsaw relies on the fundraising efforts and support of the local community to ensure that they can provide the best resources and learning opportunities for their pupils and adult learners.

As Jigsaw is continually expanding, the school is now in need of a new early years play area for the younger pupils to enjoy during their break times.

The funds raised from the 2019 Swimarathon will help Jigsaw to provide a fun and safe play area to help their pupils explore and develop their motor skills, imagination, balance and sensory stimulation through play. This is essential for all children to develop and understand their surroundings. In addition the staff and students at the school need new laptop computers and iPpads as they are crucial to record behavioural information and regularly update individual progress for the students. The cost of this equipment is not covered by local authority grants.

Horsham Lions Club wish to help the play area development and the provision of new IT Equipment by donating its share of monies raised from the 2019 Swimarathon, including tax recovered under Gift Aid.

Horsham Lions are pleased to announce that the 2019 event has a sponsor. The sponsor is PTC Systems, a nationwide company that specialise in IT technology.

The Swimarathon is run on a 50/50 basis. Half of money a team raises by sponsorship will benefit a good cause of their choice, this can be their favourite charity, their club or maybe their school.

The majority of the other half will benefit Jigsaw Trust with a smaller percentage being reserved for other good causes in the Horsham area which are regularly supported by Horsham Lions Club. Teams can also join Horsham Lions in supporting the Jigsaw Trust

Taking part is very easy; there is no entry fee. You will need a team of up to six swimmers plus an adult non-swimming team captain. All ages can take part from 8 to 70 inclusive.

The first member of a team swims one length of the pool and then rests while the other members of the team take turns to swim a length of 25 metres. The first swimmer then swims again, and so on, for 55 minutes. They can accommodate up to eight teams swimming each hour. The first teams start swimming at 1pm with other teams starting - on the hour - until 5pm when the last teams start their swim.

Enter your team today by emailing Lion David Trowbridge at [email protected] for an Entry Form and Information Pack.

Alternatively you may visit Horsham Lions Website: www.horshamlions.freeuk.com.

Lion Tom Osborne said: ‘‘If any reader would like to learn more about Horsham Lions and give some of their time to your local community, please make contact via our website or email Lion David Trowbridge at [email protected]