A POPULAR Swindon pub has shown that you needn’t be fighting fit to take part in the Olympic Games.

The Steam Railway in Old Town marked the bank holiday weekend by hosting a special Pub Olympics to raise funds for mental health charity Swindon SUNS.

Willing contestants took part in a range of Olympian sports including giant Connect Four and Jenga, plus such classics as pool and darts.

There was also a quiz and a Robbie Williams impersonator to entertain the crowds in the evening.

Landlady Julie Crane was keen to get behind the charity, which works to help those with mental health problems.

Julie, who has only been at the pub for the past seven months, said: “Everyone knows someone who struggles with mental health issues. I think the work that SUNS do is phenomenal and it’s a privilege to be able to do something to support them.”

Explaining how the idea for a pub Olympics came about, Julie said: “We started off by donating cheques and we got chatting and found a lot of old games lying around. We thought it would be a brilliant idea to hold an Olympics and try to raise a bit of cash for the charity.”

Competitors and spectators were also treated to barbequed burgers and sausages and a nice dollop of sunshine.

Ann Mooney, chairman of Swindon SUNS, said: “We are very grateful for all the support Julie and her team have given us.

“We don’t get any funding, so it’s really important for us that people are willing to help in this way.

“The charity is run by people who have themselves suffered with mental health issues and we are here to help as many people as we possibly can.”

The pub will be holding further fundraising events throughout the year and have encouraged as many people to get involved as possible to support a brilliant cause.

The Olympic fundraiser kicked off at around 2pm and went on until 11pm.

Ann said: “We want to say a massive thank you to everybody here for putting this on, we cannot thank them enough.”

In a remarkable show of support, some of the bar staff donated their day’s wages to the charity and one barmaid, brave Terri Taylor, has even agreed to do a parachute jump later in the year for SUNS.

Ann encouraged anybody who thinks they might need help, even if it’s just someone to talk to, to contact Swindon SUNS at the earliest opportunity.

For more information, log on to www.swindonsuns.org or call the helpful team on 01793 436174.