Fundraiser Ivan making a splash
Ivan Burt-Smith (8) who will be swimming 22 miles (1416 lengths) at Selkirk Swimming Pool to raise funds for a new roof for Selkirk Scout Group hall
THE eight-year-old cub swimming the width of the English Channel has completed 15 per cent of his challenge, writes Sally Gillespie.
For Ivan Burt-Smith of Murison Hill has swum 216 of the 1,416 lengths of Selkirk pool he plans to do, to raise money for the scout hall in Mill Street.
The hall roof needs reslated at an estimated cost of £25,000 – and Ivan hopes to contribute. So far he’s raised more than £300.
Proud mum Jan said: “He’s getting on really well, he’s not tiring yet and is fitting in eating and homework, and the swimming pool have been great, letting us sit there and count his lengths.
“He was beating himself up because he ‘only’ swam 52 lengths on Monday night after he did 60 on Saturday. He’s very competitive.”
So far he’s swum last Friday, when he started with 52 lengths in an hour, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and he had Wednesday off ... for swimming club.
The Kirkhope Primary schoolboy planned to swim after tennis last night and today too. “However, this may change if he starts to feel too tired or something else crops up,” said Jan.
The marathon effort has come about after the youngster saw a poster for a swimathon at Selkirk pool. He told his mum, “I want to do that”, and decided he would raise money for a cause close to his heart.
If you’d like to support Ivan, sponsor forms are available at Selkirk swimming pool, Kirkhope Primary School, Halliwell’s butcher, the library, Shoe World and the Scott’s Selkirk shop.
There are also forms at Focus Judo at the Focus Centre in Galashiels.
Alternatively, you can contribute by sending a cheque, made payable to Selkirk Scout Group and marked with Ivan’s Channel Swim, plus your name and address on the back, to Ivan’s Channel Swim, Selkirk Scout Group, c/o 1 Murison Hill, Selkirk, TD7 5AP.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Selkirk
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
