Swimmers brave the freezing Thames (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swimmers brave the freezing Thames

5:00pm Monday 8th February 2010 in

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TWELVE members of the Swindon Sub Aqua Club swam three miles of the River Thames for charity yesterday.

In the process the divers raised more than a £1,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Friends and family cheered them on from the river banks as they swam from St John the Baptist Church near Inglesham, just outside Highworth, to St John’s Lock in Lechlade.

The group has been following this tradition for the last 30 years and in that time they have raised £20,000 for the RNLI.

“It’s quite an effort to be able to do the swim,” said sub aqua president John Hamilton.

“They kept warm wearing their dry suits and thermal underwear.

“The RNLI go out in all weathers so we wanted to show willing on our part by doing the swim.

“The money raised will be split between the RNLI and funds for our club house.”

The event was re-arranged after the heavy snow fall last month.

For more information about the sub aqua club, who are based in Dixon Street, town centre, please call 01793 487076.