Fundraisers from all across the UK have raised almost £300,000, by taking part in the country’s most popular sponsored swimming event for the leading spinal cord injury charity ASPIRE. 12 pupils from the  Junior School raised an amazing £1,313.25 to become the top team fund raisers for the event.

12 year old Katie Taylor saw a leaflet for the ASPIRE channel swim when on holiday in Scotland but really didn’t think it would be possible to put together a team. Katie however endeavoured to make it happen. Katie rallied a team of 12 children from the  Junior School to take part in the challenge. It took the team 3 ½ weeks to complete the challenge. The 12 to 13 year olds did two sessions a week at school and they also did sessions outside of school and at their swimming clubs. The school staff have helped enormously.

Katie says “Initially this was a general fundraising exercise but it became very popular. I was thrilled with the willingness and effort the whole team put into it, especially as the squad was of mixed swimming ability. I was really amazed at the amount of money that was raised but was thrilled to win the fundraising prize”.

ASPIRE rewarded Katie Taylor and her team with a Keycamp holiday for a 7 night stay on one of their sites in Europe with a mid-week ferry crossing for her effort in the 2006 ASPIRE Channel Swim.

ASPIRE’s Jenny Page says “Katie and her team is one of the youngest teams to have completed the ASPIRE Channel Swim. Their achievement is quite remarkable and they have also raised a huge sum that will improve lives of people with spinal cord injuries. We hope that other young people will follow her example and take part this year improving their fitness levels and building regular exercise habits whilst having fun and raising urgently needed funding for those who, due to their injuries, will never walk again. It’s so easy to sign up on www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk”.