Community will take plunge in second Swim for Tom

November 19, 2019

The first Swim for Tom took place in January 2019 and was a huge success.

The Monmouth community will be taking the plunge, once again, in memory of kind and caring teenager, Tom.

The inaugural Swim for Tom raised more than £25,000 for Cancer Research Wales and attracted over 600 participants and around 100 volunteers.

Now the second Swim for Tom will be held on Sunday 12th January 2020 in Monmouth School for Girls’ Swimming Pool between 10am and 9pm.

“Please come and join us for a joyous and fun swimathon and, at the same time, raise money for Cancer Research Wales,” said Tom’s sister, Holly and friend Katie Cameron, who are organising this year’s event.

“We need swimmers of all abilities, from beginners to Olympians, to help us break a target of swimming 1,000km in one day.

“We also need volunteers to count the number of lengths and help with the café (including baking cakes) and general organisation of the event.”

Tom was a pupil at Monmouth School for Boys and a member of Monnow Swimming Club.

He died unexpectedly and suddenly from leukaemia in June 2018, aged just 13 years old.

Since his death, his family – parents, Tim and Debbie; and sisters Holly and Emily – led efforts to raise £100,000 to set up a research fund, supported by Tom’s friends and school community.

The £100,000 target was smashed in just 11 months and The Tom Walker Cancer Wales PhD Studentship for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Research was launched earlier this year.

The studentship received four applications and now the successful candidate will be chosen for the research project in early 2020.

Holly and Katie added: “All swimmers and volunteers for Swim for Tom will receive a commemorative pin badge and swimmers will also get a swim hat.

“If any group has eight or more people wanting to swim together, please contact us now so that we reserve a lane or two for you.

“If any individuals or businesses would like to sponsor this year’s event in some way, such as branding the swim hats, please get in touch.”

Each swimmer will be allocated an hour-long slot and it will be possible to swim in the same lane as friends and family.

There will be up to eight swimmers per lane and, as well as keeping families and groups together, Holly and Katie will try to allocate lanes based on swimming ability.

For more information about the second Swim for Tom on Sunday 12th January 2020, please e-mail info@swimfortom.uk or visit: http://swimfortom.uk/