An Island swimming club for youngsters hopes to recapture its glory days but needs more boys and girls to join.

Beachfield Swimming Squad meets every Sunday morning at Sheerness swimming pool, off Royal Road, and it has just achieved success at a gala held at the Black Lion pool in Gillingham.

And it is now busy planning for a sponsored swim in September at the Sheerness pool in memory of a club founder.

Spokesman Sarah Newton said: “The club started in 1986 and one of the founders was Mike LeGrys who built it up to have a wonderful track record competing in galas and open events all over England and even France.

“We are aiming to rebuild that status and to recruit, especially in the competing age group which is from the age of 10 upwards. We are starting to recruit from the age of five and are keen to promote fitness for kids as we teach children to swim competitively and for pleasure.

“It gives them opportunities to win trophies and medals whilst giving them the excitement of taking part in galas.

“We are now keen to get extra sponsorship for equipment, coaches, events with trophies and a badge award scheme.

“In the long term we are hoping to link up with secondary school PE teachers to talk about the possibility of helping with GCSE swimming.”

The two-hour sponsored swim takes place on September 6 where present and past members are coming together to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital in London where Mr LeGrys, from Minster, died of cancer. Phil Gallagher, who plays the part of BBC CBeebies presenter 'Mr Maker’ will start the event. All proceeds will go to the Marsden’s Teenage Cancer Trust which hopes to build specialist units in hospitals for teenagers going through treatment for cancer.

For more on this story, see this week's Times Guardian.