Club needs backing to keep head above water

HELP NEEDED: The Carterton Swimming Club is hoping people or businesses in the community will help fund the future of the club or support the club and its swimmers. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A tiny Wairarapa swimming club run out of a "tin shed" with only three swimming lanes is in desperate need of help to ensure it continues to produce swimming champions into the future.

With a new committee elected in July keen to ensure the long term survival of the Carterton Swimming Club, they are busy fundraising to maintain or replace the facilities.

Replacing the solar heating alone has been quoted at $45,000.

Recently the group held a fundraising event outside The Warehouse in Masterton hosting a sausage sizzle and selling raffle tickets for a trailer load of firewood, making $800 towards the many thousands of dollars they would need to raise, said club president Barbara Smith.

Funds have also been raised hosting swim meets at the club.

"To some the amount raised may seem small but to us it is another big step towards our goal."

They are a small club with 43 swimmers - 35 future stars with eight competitive swimmers aged between 7 and 19 years old, Mrs Smith said.

"We would like to think we might not always be a club of champions but we are always a club developing champions."

The facility, in Pembroke St Carterton, was built as a result of working bees, fundraising and donations from Wairarapa people and businesses. Opened in 1987, locals volunteered labour with sheets of iron, wood and almost everything else needed gifted.

"Although we continue to punch well above our weight nationally in regional and national competitions, we do it from what is considered one of the smallest and most tired facilities in the country - a three-lane pool in a tin shed," she said.

The club holds many regional records with a very successful senior mens relay team and one swimmer is currently part of the high performance unit, training in Wellington.

Many more members have been selected as part of the wider Wellington regional swim team, competing nationally.

Two members have competed in the New Zealand Opens this year which doubled as the Commonwealth Games trials.

"We get to swim with the best ... but our club isn't just for the competitive."

The Russell Geange Swim Academy also operates from the facility.

Parents play a huge part in the success of the club but they need outside help to improve their facilities, Mrs Smith said.

"We can't keep asking our small membership for money."

The club is currently looking for an engineer, architect or others in the community to assess the building and help them move forward.

"We hope the community will come on board and help. We'd love for someone to work with us so we can keep producing champions."

It is also soon to run a recruitment drive looking for new members.

If you would like to join the club as a member or can help in any way, please call Mrs Smith on (6) 372 4713 or email the club: cartertonswimclub@gmail.com.