On November 4, 30 swimmers, ranging from athletes to passionate amateurs, teamed up to complete a 45km multi-relay swim, raising HK$3 million for Splash Foundation
Where? Hong Kong Island, around Victoria Harbour, Chai Wan, Stanley
When? November 4, 2023
Who? Jonathan Crockett and Camille Cheng
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Hong Kong is renowned for its beautiful coastline and numerous swimming pools but despite this easy access to water, nearly half of its population still lacks the ability to swim. This not only exposes a large portion of the community to water-related dangers but also denies them the advantages of physical, mental and social well-being that come hand in hand with aquatic activities.
Splash Foundation, a charity dedicated to addressing swimming illiteracy in Hong Kong, has recently unveiled its largest swim and fundraising campaign to date, Make Waves for Hong Kong, which aimed to raise funds for the foundation’s free learn-to-swim programmes, specifically designed for underprivileged individuals.
On November 4, five teams of relay swimmers including Olympian Camille Cheng and Tatler’s Asia’s Most Influential honouree Jonathan Crockett embarked on their swimming journey, starting at 3:15am from Sandy Bay near Cyberport. They swam through various locations, including Victoria Harbour and Chai Wan, before completing the 45km swim around Hong Kong Island 11 hours later.
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Among the swimmers were Olympic athletes, passionate amateur open water swimmers, and newcomers to the sport, all bound together by their shared love for swimming.
“I take the ability to swim for granted,” said Jonathan Crockett, chairman for Phillips in Asia. “50 per cent of Hong Kong’s population cannot swim. I wanted to take part in this challenge to help raise funds for Splash Foundation who educate underprivileged children and domestic helpers how to swim. Swimming should be a sport that should be accessible for all. It’s one of the few sports where one is forced to completely detach from the distractions and business of daily life—there’s no accessing your phone while in the water!” he said.
The event raised HK$3 million, thanks to donations from more than 1,000 donors. The funds will go towards improving the city’s swimming literacy. Roy Pang, chairperson of Splash Foundation, envisions making this event an annual occurrence, allowing the NGO to continue its mission of teaching this crucial skills to thousands in need. Since its establishment in 2015, Splash Foundation has successfully taught more than 6,000 individuals to swim.
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