Swale Combined AC investing in the future of athletics in the area
From grassroots to world-class athletics, having the right environment and facilities is so important for progression. Swale Combined Athletics Club recognised this and showcased both their committed and talented athletes and their community spirit in their fundraising efforts for their new long jump runway.
The fundraising goal
This year Swale Combined Athletics Club celebrate their 40th year of supporting athletes of all ages and abilities. However, the local area has no competition-level facilities, which the club recognise limits opportunities for local athletes, schools and clubs. In partnership with Fulston Manor School who own the facility, Swale Combined AC aimed to raise £14,070 to refurbish the long jump runway. As long as the club could raise half these funds, they secured support from the Sport England Movement Fund and the National Lottery to donate the remaining 50%.
“As a growing club, we have a lot of demand from athletes across all age groups, but facilities are always a challenge. The funding gave us the opportunity to tackle one of the areas that needed significant investment, rather than simply making short-term repairs.
“It also gave us something to rally the club and local community around. The matched-funding element encouraged us to look beyond the club itself and find creative ways to raise the additional money needed, bringing athletes, parents, local businesses and community organisations together behind a shared goal. This would've been much more difficult had we not received the matched funding.”
The community working together to reach the goal
So earlier this year, they began their fundraising campaign. As part of this, Swale Combined AC wanted to create an event specific to long jump that their athletes could get involved in, so they hosted a Jump the Distance event on 14 March. Between 68 athletes, they managed to jump a huge 5,217m and the event showcased the community feel of the club with support from parents and even younger siblings. The event raised £773 towards to overall fundraising goal.
“It became a real club-wide effort, with our young athletes, senior athletes, coaches and families all getting involved. It gave everyone a tangible way to contribute and created a fantastic atmosphere around the project.
“The response also extended beyond the club. Local organisations and businesses supported the fundraising, including Oast Osteopathy, who not only backed the project with a significant donation, but have now offered ongoing support which is proving invaluable. It really is amazing how the local community has got involved.
“What started as a fundraising challenge became a great example of what can happen when a local athletics club gets its community behind a common goal.”
Club Support Manager for the South East, Ffion Edgeley, joined the Jump the Distance event, meeting different volunteers and supporting the cause. She praised the ambitions of the club,
“They’ve got a lot of amazing plans for their facility lined up, so it will be great to help them achieve those. It’s a really exciting time for the club and I’m really looking forward to seeing their progress.”
The impact of the new long jump runway
Thanks to the club’s fundraising efforts, the support from Sport England and the National Lottery and a donation from the England Athletics Club Improvement Fund, the fundraising target was met and the new long jump runway was ready. The Mayor of Sittingbourne, Cllr Karen Watson, officially opened the new runway on 2 May at the club’s family fun day. A spokesperson from Swale Combined AC explained the impact that this new facility will have on the club:
“The new runway will give our athletes a much-improved facility to train and compete on, helping us provide better opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities. However, the benefit goes beyond long jump. Improving the facility helps strengthen the overall athletics provision at the club and makes our training environment more attractive to existing and prospective members.”
This is just the start of the planned improvements at the Cromers Corner facility, which is owned and managed by Fulston Manor School. Watch this space for more exciting projects to come…
“The long jump project is one part of that bigger picture. We want to continue improving our facilities, developing our coaching provision and creating an environment where young athletes can progress, while ensuring athletics remains accessible and welcoming to the wider community.
“Most importantly, we want to keep building on the fantastic community spirit that has helped make this project possible. The support we’ve received has shown what our club can achieve when athletes, families, coaches, local businesses and the wider community work together.”
If your club are looking to begin a fundraising campaign, our Club Finance and Fundraising guide is a great resource to get you started.
If you are looking for support with your facility, the visit our facilities page.