SWIMMERS are working hard organising events, fundraising and appealing for sponsors to help raise nearly £20,000.

Trowbridge Amateur Swimming Club is aiming to raise £18,000 to buy new electronic timing equipment. Alun Williams, the club's fundraising organiser, said: "We want to get a professional timing system which would be on permanent display at the Clarendon pool.

"The committee feels it is what the club needs to move forward and hopefully make competitive and repetitive training more interesting for the children." The club has 275 swimmers of all ages and trains at Trowbridge Swimming Pool on the Clarendon School site at Frome Road.

The club, which has been in existence since 1939, is also a part of Force 5, a joining together of the five west Wiltshire towns to put forward three teams competing in the national Speedo League. It is hoped the new equipment would increase the profile of the club and encourage more children and adults to take up the sport.

The 25-ft pool is also not used a great deal for professional competitions and it is hoped the equipment could change that in the future, raising the profile not just of the club but of the town itself and helping to attract more revenue.

Mr Williams said: "Over the past few years we have noticed the Trowbridge pool isn't being used by the Speedo League for national competitions and even county competitions are held in Swindon and we would like to bring them back towards Trowbridge."

The club has already collected over £1,000 but has a long way to go towards meeting its target.

A bag pack will be held at the town's ASDA supermarket next month and other ideas in the pipeline include a race night, barbeque, cricket match and disco. It is hoped the majority of the funds can be raised through the sponsorship of local firms.

Companies or individuals can make donations of either cash or raffle prizes, however big or small. Businesses can sponsor a touch pad, used to operate the timing equipment, which would include their company motif, for £1,000.

The electronic display board can also be sponsored for £8,000. or this the sponsoring company's logo would be on display for the life of the unit, estimated to be about 20 years.

Any company helping will also have their logo displayed on the club's website at www.swimtrowbridge.co.uk

  • For further information on the club visit the website. For details on sponsorship opportunities call (01225) 700622.