A massive “Thank you” to The Middlesbrough Freemasons!
MASC had the honour of welcoming Jim and Ian from the North York Lodge, Middlesbrough Freemasons, last Friday, to thank them in person for their generous donation to our scheme. Our local Freemasons were taken on a tour of our training facilities at the Neptune Centre, and were introduced to a group of swimmers who were just finishing a land training session in the gym, led by Head Coach Marcin, before heading down to the pool to watch the beginning of a two hour swim session. Both Jim and Ian were impressed to see the dedication and hard work of our swimmers, and remembered the old Berwick Hills pool that the Neptune Centre has replaced. It was lovely to hear their memories of the important skills they learnt from swimming back in the day, and a great reminder of how important these facilities and swimming squads are to our next generation of youngsters, who continue to develop lifelong skills and memories of their own. It is a reminder to us all, just how important these clubs are and the far reaching impact they have on those in our community that continue to enjoy them.
Our Chairperson, Simon Morris, was also present to extend his thanks to Jim and Ian, and explain how their generous contribution would be put to good use. MASC are certainly not alone in facing increased financial burdens at this time, with the rising costs of pool hire and other cost of living increases, and it was great to hear how the Middlesbrough Freemason donation will help support children in our area whose families are also struggling to make ends meet. Jim and Ian were pleased to hear that their contribution would help support our MASC Hardship Fund, where their donation will continue to make a difference to those swimmers who, without this extra financial support, might not be able to take part in the sport they love. MASC firmly believe that every child should have the right to access and reach their swimming potential regardless of their socioeconomic background, as not only is this an important life skill but instils so many key attributes for our youngsters throughout their lives. Our swimmers learn the importance of hard work, resilience and commitment, alongside a team spirit, and friendships that can last a lifetime.
Once again thank you to our Middlesbrough Freemasons for taking the time to meet our swimmers and see where their valuable contribution will go. We are also keen to remind our supporters that our Crowdfunding page is now live and running up until 29th June. We have a range of exciting rewards and incentives for everyone to access and enjoy. Please continue to share our page on social media to reach as many people as possible: anyone can support and donate. Let’s keep our long established swimming club, circa 1886, running for another 137 years.
