Bradford swimming club receives £8,000 Co-op boost (From Wiltshire Times)

Bradford swimming club receives £8,000 Co-op boost

4:52pm Monday 4th March 2013 in Bradford

The Bradford on Avon Swimming Association is set to benefit from an £8,000 donation from The Southern Co-operative following a successful Community Support Card campaign in its local store.

This is the first time that The Southern Co-operative’s popular Community Support Card scheme,run in selected stores across the south each year, has been run in Winsley Road store.

Charities and community organisations wanting to apply for CSC funding can submit a bid to their local participating store and the recipients are then decided by a panel of members from the local community working with the store’s team.

Shoppers can then support the fundraising campaign by having a green CSC card, which the store issues free, swiped each time they shop.

It doesn’t cost shoppers anything to participate and the more frequently they use the card, the quicker the target is reached.

Bernard Steele, retail business manager at the Bradford on Avon store, said: “My team and I are extremely proud and humbled by the support the local community has given the CSC scheme. Over last year through in-store fundraising, dress-up days and by swiping the card, we have raised this fantastic amount for the Bradford on Avon Swimming Association.”

John Carling, chairman of the Bradford on Avon club, said: “The club would like to thank the Co-op for their support.

"The club, which is run by volunteers and has about 300 members, tries to be an ‘all inclusive’ club for the local community, and the £8,000 will be used to support a number of activities we struggle to fund. These include courses for our volunteers, particularly new teachers, coaches and lifeguards, without whom our club could not exist.

"Some of the money will support special swim sessions that cannot self fund due to the lower number of participants, such as our special needs swim sessions. We will also now be able to fund extra development mini swim galas for our younger swimmers, and hope to encourage more participants in these from local primary schools and the wider Bradford community. We also hope to run fun galas for the fitness swimmers, to allow everyone, whatever their ability, to take part.

"Swimming is a sport that encourages fitness for life, and we hope we make a significant contribution to the health and well being of the community around Bradford on Avon.”

The Co-op in Bradford on Avon is now taking applications for up to £10,000 funding with its 2013 Community Support Card scheme.

Mr Steele added: “If you represent a local club, charity or good cause, please pop in to our store to pick up an application form. This is a fantastic opportunity to work together and make a difference locally.”

The closing date for applications is the end of March.