Shoppers at Morrisons in Alnwick help swell swimming club funds

The club has been teaching young people from the area lifesaving skills for many years at Willowburn pool on Sunday evenings and is hoping to raise enough money to replace some of the equipment necessary for this.

Members spent the morning packing bags at Morrisons and shoppers gave generously.

The club is affiliated to the Royal Life Saving Society and through the Rookie Life Saver Awards schemes allows young people to develop confidence in the water and how to rescue others.

Young members work through the stages of bronze and silver to a gold award with a ceremony at the end of every year. There are also competetive lifesaving events and last year a small group competed at Billingham Forum taking part in a range of races against many other clubs from the north of England.

Volunteer coaches Eileen Duncan and Tracey Sample have given hundreds of hours of their own time to the cause. Eileen started her coaching at the advent of the pool at Swansfield Park in Alnwick and has seen several generations pass through the ranks.

The club meets every Sunday at 4pm at Willowburn Pool.