BABIES and children from Dorset & Salisbury will be donning their tiaras and tri-corn hats during their weekly swimming class to raise money for baby charity Tommy’s as they take part in a ‘Splashathon’ fundraiser.
Boys and girls from six weeks to four years will be sponsored to swim a width in fancy dress, in a Peppa Pig Pirates and Princesses-themed swimming lesson.
Together with 50,000 other members of Water Babies from across the country, they are aiming to raise £1m to help fund Tommy’s vital research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.
Former army officer Steven Pugh, the franchisee of Water Babies Dorset & Salisbury, explained: “We’re all excited to be taking part in the Tommy’s Splashathon. We are aiming to raise £2,500 and give the boys and girls an exciting class whilst the children fundraise to save other babies’ lives”.
In the UK, it’s estimated that one-in-four pregnancies end in loss during pregnancy or birth. Tommy’s funds four research centres in the UK that investigate causes and find treatments. In 2017, Splashathon raised £1.175 million for Tommy’s; enough to run Tommy’s National Miscarriage Research Centre, the largest of its kind in Europe, for two and half years. The money raised from this year’s Splashathon will help fund a new centre dedicated to ensuring the best maternity care is available to every parent, every baby, everywhere.
Steven’s desire to support Tommy’s is heightened by the fact that he knows a number of military families who have suffered miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.
He said: “The added complication for military families is that one or more of the parents can be away during difficult times.
“I’m aware how tough these situations can be, therefore, if we can raise money to help reduce miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth and provide pregnancy health information to military parents, that would be amazing.”
You can donate to Splashathon at tommys.org/splashathondonate