A special tribute to those who fought during the First World War was paid in the form of an English swimming relay event. Entitled ‘We Will Remember Them’, the fundraising event took place at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield on September 8th, recognizing the 100 years since the end of the First world War.
Four teams of 100 swimmers each swam 100m in remembrance, with the event exceeding its £5,000 goal. The money will be donated to the Royal British Legion and Horseback UK, both charities which organizer Simon Wright says helps past and present servicemen and women. Hundreds of swimmers from clubs around the nation took part, with each receiving a commemorative swim cap to wear, filled with a Poppy Card and name of a fallen soldier of the Great War for whom their swim was dedicated.
Wright, one of the founders of the ‘We Will Remember Them’ relays, told SwimSwam, “I wanted to do something in this WWI centenary year, so decided to start the WE REMEMBER THEM 1918-2018 campaign with an old friend I was in the military with.
“One of the charities we’re supporting was started by another old friend who I was also in the military with – hence the connection. There have been a number of challenges happening through the year to raise money and awareness.”
Wright commented, “We had a wide age range from all sorts of swim backgrounds. Some Olympians, some swimmers who’d never swam 100m before! Even my lovely wife got in to swim!”
Video courtesy of ‘We Remember Them.’
Another relay, ‘Swim to Remember’, will be taking place on November 11th, one year after the signing of the armistice. Information for that upcoming event can be found here.
They are holding poppies. I recall in grade school an annual poppy sale that raised monies for the VFW.
This is awesome, especially for young people to learn about and remember the “War to end all wars”. Here in the USA is is often times overlooked, as we came in as late entrants to the conflict and did not suffer in the same manner that England and France did.