A BOURNEMOUTH swimming team has received a £2,000 funding boost to stay afloat after a challenging year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Swim Bournemouth, a competitive swimming team affiliated with Swim England, received the funding from the Churchill Foundation, a charity run by Ringwood housebuilder Churchill Retirement Living.

The funding means the team can continue to support young athletes in their quest to compete at the highest level at Dorset facilities including the Littledown Centre in Bournemouth.

Swim Bournemouth’s Head Coach, Matt Heathcock said: "I would like to thank the Churchill Foundation for this very generous donation towards our crowdfunding activity.

"This donation means that our team of coaches can carry on doing the work we love for our members and will help these young athletes on their continued journey in this great sport. This has been a tough year for us all and these funds will help us on our way to training fit, healthy kids and future champions."

The swimming team’s funding needs were highlighted to the Churchill Foundation, and the donation came thanks to the charity’s Small Grants Programme, which enables staff from across the Churchill Group to nominate causes close to their heart for a one-off grant of up to £2,000.

Churchill Foundation Trustee, Suzanne Revell added: "I’m delighted to be able to award this donation to Swim Bournemouth through the Churchill Foundation. We believe strongly in giving something back to the communities we work in, so we’re proud to be supporting the growth and development of Bournemouth’s next generation of champion swimmers."