Lytham St Annes Lions Swimarathon is back - and supporting Brian House and Bone Cancer Research Trust

The event at St Annes YMCA Pool has raised tens of thousands of pounds for good causes over more than three decades but hasn’t been held since January 2020 because of the Covid pandemic.

It will be back on Sunday, January 29, when hundreds of swimmers are expected to take part, and the money raised will be split between Brian House Children’s Hospice and the Bone Cancer Research Trust, which has played a key role in helping Lytham teenager Phoebe Daniel back to fitness after being diagnosed with bone cancer.

Phoebe, now 15, was due to be Lytham Club Day Rose Queen in 2020 but before she had the opportunity to take up the role, at 13, Phoebe found herself suffering from pain and a limp in her left leg.

She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and underwent months of chemotherapy treatment as well as surgery to remove a tumour from her leg.

She is now back at St Bede’s High School and doing well and her mum Gemma is ful lof praise for the support received from the Bone Cancer Research Trust during her treatment and recovery.

“It’s a lovely charity and we are so grateful to them for their support,” said Gemma. “It’s wonderful that the Lytham St Annes Lions have decided to make it a beneficiary of the Swimarathon.

"It’s a great event which really helps good causes and Phoebe is getting a team together, as swimming was an important part of her road to recovery.”

Lucy Worthington, who works in the fundraising team at Brian House Children’s Hospice, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as one of the charity partners for the Lions Annual Swimarathon, and are eagerly putting our own swimming team together.

“The money raised for our charity through this event will be used to buy much-needed sensory equipment for our children. Not all toys are suitable for our children, who are living with some very serious and complex life-limiting illnesses; some are not able to handle small items, whist others have difficulty seeing clearly. That’s why sensory plan equipment means so much to Brian House, giving children the chance to experience play through sight, sound and touch – having fun, as all children should.”

The Swimarathon traditionally attracts hundreds of sponsored swimmers, many of them youngsters, to a day-long event at St Annes YMCA Pool and in recent years has funded defibrillators for local schools as well as health screening for teenagers.

In 2018, a record £15,000 was generated for the Edward Dee Forever Fund for Meningitis Now.

As well as the two main beneficiaries, a funds presentation is also traditionally made to the Fylde mayoral charity fund.

The Lions’ Swimarathon organiser Joe Woods said: “It will be so good to be back. Entries are now open and we hope people will join us in backing these very good causes.

"We are grateful for the backing of main sponsor Beaverbrooks The Jeweller and are looking forward to another successful Swimarathon.”

For entry details, email [email protected] or call 07528 483999.