Swimming to Keep Cornwall’s Flying Paramedics Aloft
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For 'Throwback Thursday,' we present this story of swimming and caring from 2014.
The UK’s Cornish peninsula presents some tough challenges to delivering medical care. And our friends at Cornwall Pools know that when the going gets tough, the tough go swimming!
Cornwall, situated on England’s southwestern tip, and the nearby Isles of Scilly have a dispersed population, rugged terrain, isolated communities, and an underdeveloped road network. Traditional land ambulances can’t readily navigate to those in need, so in 1987, locals launched the Cornwall Air Ambulance, the country’s first-of-its-kind service. For over 24,000 missions, the Cornwall Air Ambulance has been delivering the fast and effective emergency medical care that wheels on pavement simply cannot.
This vital service doesn’t come cheaply. The Cornwall Air Ambulance has an annual budget of £2.5 million, none of which comes from government funding or the National Lottery. They depend solely on the generosity of their supporters. And that’s why Cornwall Pools hosted Swimathon 2014.
Over two days in July, teams swam for 25 minutes each against the Endless Pools® current. In total, they swam the 26-odd miles of a marathon. The donations raised by each team contributed much-needed funds to the Cornwall Air Ambulance. Excellent job, Cornwall!