At Collins, we find it rewarding to support organisations and give back to our community. We have sponsored Hartlepool Swimming Club since 2016, and our partnership with the team has grown stronger and stronger over the years. Having recently written blogs about the updates from our food bank partners Feeding Families and Leeds South and East Foodbank, we thought we would share the latest news from the swimming club, as well as some information about its past development.
First of all, let’s start at the beginning. Hartlepool Swimming Club was established in 1920, and our connection with the organisation started in 2016 when our founder, Richard Collins, signed his children up to the club and they adored their time there. Richard then decided to help the club financially, and Collins Seafoods became the club’s primary sponsor.
The club has received support with the likes of equipment and trophies in the past from other local companies such as Tesco, Coveris, MKN Builders Merchants, Neil Garbutt Plumbing, T.I.M.E Enterprises, and Steven Bell Funerals, but Collins Seafoods and High Tunstall remain the only partners.
As the swimming club’s success continues to grow, new members are always keen to sign up and learn this essential skill. Many of the current members continue to develop and progress to higher stages and regularly compete in swimming galas in different venues across the North of England. The club also supports members with disabilities, and while these individuals may not progress higher than the Learn to Swim stage, they are integral members and will continue to attend classes.
This year after the summer break ends on the 29th of August, some of the club members will be attending the Billingham Gala in September and the North East Regional Championships in Sheffield. In February 2024, they have the Northern District Championships in Sunderland to look forward to, and hopefully many more galas in between then and now that are yet to be confirmed by the host clubs.
All of this training is both enjoyable and inspiring for the young swimmers, as many of them aspire to become professional athletes someday. The members have a diverse range of fitness skills, with some of them taking part in other activities such as football practice, dance lessons and gymnastics. Some individuals that left the club several years ago have progressed to become pool lifeguards, beach lifeguards, and coaches.
The staff at the club are also currently developing its social side: some of the swimmers already spend time together outside of classes, with some of them even attending Hartlepool United football matches together. However, several of them live in different towns and attend different schools, so interaction can be slightly limited. The club’s new social secretary is actively organising an increasing amount of leisure activities, including a recent laser tag bonding session which the young swimmers thoroughly enjoyed. This is important because morale is boosted within the team, and having a pleasant atmosphere is motivating for them when they are training.
We asked Kevin Shears, Treasurer of the club, how Collins Seafoods has contributed to the ogranisation’s success, and he said:
“Funding from Collins has been used to support the club’s activities and help develop the Learn to Swim structure and arrangements. It was fundamental in helping the club survive over the Covid period and subsequently when swimmer numbers were detrimentally affected. Our organisation is indebted to the sponsorship, which was fundamental to it continuing to exist.”
We are happy to be able to give a helping hand to Hartlepool Swimming Club and we are proud of the club’s continual success and team achievements.
Catch all the latest updates from the team at HSC by following their social media pages:
