Dive into a Swim Marathon like no other

This August, international development charity WaterAid are hosting a virtual swim challenge to help the 785 million people worldwide who still don’t have access to clean water close to home.

Whether you are a seasoned swimmer, or infrequent dipper, Swim Marathon is an opportunity for swimmers of all abilities to take on a unique 13 or 26-mile swimming challenge, all whilst raising funds for this great cause.

The free virtual event can be completed at any swimming venue of your choice – indoors or outdoors – and will run from 1 August to 24 October.

Sign up now!

As swimmers, water quality is an issue that is important for our sport and leisure. But for many around the world, it is a matter of life or death. WaterAid is an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in ways that last can people change their lives for good.

Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 27 million people with clean water and 27 million people with decent toilets. But there’s still work to be done.

Currently, 785 million people in the world – one in ten – do not have clean water close to home. 2 billion people do not have a decent toilet of their own. And around 310,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation.

When a community gets clean water for the first time there’s a tremendous sense of joy and celebration. There’s now the possibility of a healthier, happier life. There’s a chance for children to stay in school, for families to make a decent living, and for the whole community to lift themselves out of poverty.

Published in association with WaterAid