The Rotary Club of Margate are inviting teams to join in their annual swimathon at Hartsdown Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 8.

Sponsored by Thanet Leisureforce, money raised by the event will go to a range of charities including Mercy Ships UK, Thanet District Scout Council campsite at Minster, The Rotary Foundation for its work towards eradicating polio, and the Rotary Club of Margate’s Millennium Fund.

A team from the Margate club are already in training and president Roy Copper is fielding a team of past presidents. He said: "This extremely fit team are expected to break all past records for a Rotary president’s team on the total number of lengths swum.” Fellow Rotarians believe their president is seeking tactical advantage and are keen to point out that there never has been a president’s team taking part in the event.

Last year, the swimathon raised £6,000 for charities and the organisers are looking to beat that sum this year.

Club spokesman Keith Daley said: “To assist in raising this sum, we are looking for teams of six swimmers, each of whom should raise sponsorship money for the event. Each team will swim for one hour. Sponsors could sponsor an amount per team length or just a total. There will be a presentation for the team that raises the highest amount.”

Barbara Copper, wife of the president, and her friend Rose Homewood are spending the whole of November as unpaid housekeepers working on board the Africa Mercy hospital ship in Liberia.

Mercy Ships provides free, specialised operations that save lives, improve quality of life and restore hope. They deal with amongst other things, cataracts, tumours, cleft palates and war injuries.

The running costs of the ship are met by voluntary donations and the pair would appreciate any contributions to these costs as they would like to make a big donation in addition to paying their own way. Any cheques should be made payable to The Rotary Club of Margate.

The Rotary Club of Margate meets every week at Northdown House on Wednesdays at 6.30pm. For more information, contact Ray Holdstock on 01843 863553 or ray@gem-set.com or the Club’s website www.rotarydistrict1120.org/margate

To enter a team in the swimathon, contact Jeremy Voizey on jeremyjvoizey@btinternet.com or telephone/fax 01843-862225