A sponsored swim held at Boavista’s Essential Fitness and Spa swimming pool in aid of the Madrugada charity has raised a total of €5,300.
Accepting the cheque on June 23 at Boavista’s Lagos resort from Philip Pope, Alison Blair said that it was a brilliant effort by the 36 swimmers who took part: ‘The Boavista team has created a blue print for future Madrugada fund raising events by involving the local community and managing the whole event from start to finish. We hope other resorts will follow their lead by creating their own events to help us raise funds for supporting people with life limiting illness.’
Philip Pope said that Boavista had supported charity events from its inception. These included the Henry Cooper Classic and the Hands of Light golf day which made a major donation to Madrugada in April this year. ‘The enthusiasm and spirit of everyone involved is reflected in the amount raised. It was a community effort for a community charity and we look forward to it becoming an annual event.’ Held on May 23, swimmers encouraged friends and relations to sponsor them for each length they swam of the centre’s indoor pool. On the day swimmers ranging in age from as young as 6 years old through to 70 years clocked up in excess of 50km.
The combination of hard work put in by Isaura Custódio and Yvonne Fisher assisted by sponsors, volunteers, Dynamic Kids and entertainment from the Pink Cadillacs made for a festive day.
Swimmers of note included Jasmine Hodges in the under 10’s who amazed everyone by swimming 108 lengths and in the adult group Emily Sheppard, aged 41 who swam a total of 256 lengths.