SOUTHAMPTON’S Mayor and 10 others including fellow Councillor John Savage who celebrated his 62nd birthday on the day braved a poolside plunge on Saturday, January 25 to help raise funds for charity.
Cllr Peter Baillie participated in the sponsored dive/jump with 10 others, aged 10-73, for one of his mayoral charities, Communicare, which enriches the lives of the city’s lonely and isolated.
Cllr Baillie, who jumped off the three and five metre boards and dived from the poolside and one metre board, said: “I am delighted to have taken part. It was an amazing experience. It was disappointing not to have managed to make it all the way up to 10 metres, but Lidia, the coach, explained that, for safety reasons, I would have needed more than an hour of training to be allowed right to the top. Having had the chance to go up there and look down I could see her point!”
Communicare is a friendly, neighbourhood charity that wants to eradicate loneliness and isolation in the city with the assistance of its band of Communiteers, who volunteer to give their time freely.
Manager, Annie Clewlow explained: “We’re tremendously grateful to the 11 people who took part, especially those scared of heights, who put their fears aside to raise money for Communicare by entering our sponsored dive at The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex on Saturday, January 25.
“We’ve currently raised £773 and there’s much more to come in. There’s also still time to donate if you wish to at www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/communicaresplash.”
Communicare’s Good Neighbours’ Network supports nearly 400 individuals/families annually, covering more than 2,300 tasks including one-to-one befriending, transport to activities, such as the regular lunch clubs and tea parties it hosts and shopping for, or with, those it helps. All the assistance offered is free to users, although beneficiaries are invited to make a donation if they are able, and Communiteers are offered expenses.
To find out more about Communicare, please visit www.communicareinsouthampton.org.uk or follow the charity on Twitter at @Communicare_SO or log on to www.facebook.com/CommunicareInSouthampton.
