So here we are 12 months in from the first lockdown and we would like to take this opportunity to give our children a huge amount of praise for their resilience and determination over the past year. During the past 12 months not only not going to school but not being unable to firstly train and secondly compete has been a huge challenge for our swimmers in all age categories.

Billingham ASC is a small non profit funding club in a deprived area of Teesside. The coaches and committee give up their time week in and week out, even to be pool side at 06:30 in their own good time. We receive no help financially or get any help with our pool hire fees; we raise this cash by hosting very successful gala's in our fantastic arena throughout the course of each year. Covid 19 has not only had a detrimental effect on the children not being able to swim but by putting bigger financial strains on the club. We ask that you can help our children to have a successful return to the pool (fingers crossed in April) by donating whatever you can. The impact of lockdown has not just meant the swimmers who swim locally, regionally and nationally are going to have a battle on their hands when they return but also the younger swimmers who were just finding the confidence in water or those who had just swam their first length. The younger swimmers are the one's who are more likely to not want to be up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday anymore (let alone the teenagers who will so look forward to setting that 05:30 alarm once again) or perhaps have lost their confidence and need the reassurance to return.

In order for us to keep this local club running and serving our local community for generations to come, please give what you can. Let's keep this club growing, thriving and succeeding. As swimmers develop and move through the squads, being a competitive athlete teaches a vast amount of skills to carry forward in their life. Such skills include self-confidence, respect for their elders along with discipline, supporting their peers, as well as making like minded friends. We would like to keep opening our door to more new swimmers and give them fantastic opportunities such as training camps abroad and team building days.