A shout has gone out for volunteers to take the plunge and join a fundraising open water swim to help reopen Lochalsh Leisure Centre.
The much-loved community-owned centre and swimming pool has been shut since January after an electrical fire broke out in the building and left it unuseable.
Now, as part of a major fundraising drive to meet repair costs, supporters of the leisure centre are taking part in the annual swim from Kyleakin to Kyle – K2K – during Kyle’s Maritime Day on Saturday 7th September.
“So far we have around 14 signed up for the swim but we are really keen to get more folk on board,” said Rhiannon Cumine, a member of the board of trustees which runs the leisure centre.
“We have a good mix of people taking part, pool users and others who want to help out and get involved. You don’t need to be a fantastic swimmer to join in, just as long as you are confident in the water.”
Plenty of on-water support will be available on the day from members of the South Skye and Lochalsh Kayak Club who accompany swimmers in their kayaks, along with lifeboats and crew from both Kyle and Portree RNLI stations.
Rhiannon from Erbusaig, who is a kayak club member, said: “The distance for the swim is around 750-800 metres depending on the state of the tide. Folk complete it in around 12 minutes but others enjoy a more leisurely swim. It’s not a race and it’s great fun.”
While insurance has covered the bulk of the repairs to the fire-damaged centre in Douglas Park, other work still needs to be done.
To help meet these costs of £20-30,000 and get the centre up and running as quickly as possible, the board will shortly launch an online crowdfunder where donations can be pledged.
If successful it is hoped the centre, which is run as a charity, will be able to open its doors again at the end of September.
Rhiannon said: “The swim marks our first fundraiser and we’re hoping for around £5,000 but the more we can get the better.
“Every little helps, even if it’s only a quid!”
The swim across the Kyle gets under way at 3.45pm on 7th September and anyone who would like to take part can message organisers on the Lochalsh Leisure Centre Facebook page.
For those who don’t fancy taking part, they can sponsor some of the swimmers who are using JustGiving to raise funds for the pool. Click on the links for their pages: Shona James Erica
Article by JACKIE MACKENZIE