Other notable names include world championship silver medallist Fran Halsall, Lizzie Simmonds, Caitlin McClatchey, Jess Sylvester, Kate Haywood, Olympic badminton silver medallist Gail Emms and many, many more.
The event, at Pride Park Stadium's Toyota Suite on Saturday, October 31, is raising funds for the club as well as poverty-hit youngsters in Zambia. The club’s head coach Mel Marshall, a former Olympic swimmer, has organised the event.
She is an ambassador for the Zambia Project, which aims to support people living with Aids in the African nation.
Mel said: “We have sold 270 tickets so far and it promises to be a fantastic night.
We will be having an auction on the night, with prizes such as dinner with British swimming legend and former Strictly Come Dancing star Mark Foster and a seven-day luxury break with Newmarket Races tickets. There is a three-course meal, band and live entertainment and a big raffle with prizes such as Carling Cup final tickets.”
Mel hopes some of the money raised will help to provide opportunities for youngsters living in Zambia to learn to swim. She has plans to refurbish a swimming pool in the country and bus youngsters in from rural areas for lessons. She said: “The Zambia Project provides hope for 1.1 million people in Zambia who are living with Aids. More than 710,000 children under seven have lost their mother, father or both parents to HIV/Aids. Sport in Action has founded the Zambia Project which looks, through sport, to educate and empower people to lead better lives.”
Closer to home, proceeds from the ball will be funding extra opportunities for Derby swimmers, including financing pool time for early morning training and access to the long-course training facility at Loughborough. The charity ball follows on from a successful charity swim the club’s members did in July. Some £6,800 was raised when youngsters and adults alike swam distances of up to 11,000 metres (440 lengths) at Lonsdale Pool in Mickleover and Queen’s Leisure Centre, Derby.
 |
