press release: GLL
Gold company profile | GLL
PRESS RELEASE
GLL pools host a record 1362 Swimathon challenges raising £141k for charities
31 Mar 2026
87 GLL pools host Swimathon 2026 / GLL
Fundraising challenges took place in 87 GLL pools as part of Swimathon 2026 - from Cornwall to Cumbria, Belfast to Basingstoke.
Figures in this week confirm the UK’s foremost leisure charitable social enterprise GLL hosted 1,362 fundraising challenges in 87 of its managed pools for Swimathon 2026 - smashing the tally of 1,054 set in 2025 - and raising a record £141k for charities.
This year, the world’s biggest fundraising swim - which began 40 years ago - happened over the weekend of 20-22 March, with fundraisers’ proceeds benefitting the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research, Cancer Research UK, and the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, as well as Swimathon Foundation.
Individuals swam a variety of distances - 500m, 1.5k, 2.5k, Swimathon 5k and Triple 5k distances - with teams choosing 1.5k, 2.5k and 5k challenges.
GLL has been supporting Swimathon over the years in its ‘Better’ branded pools. Last year saw 1,054 challenges completed in 68 pools raising £109k for charity.
Swimathon Foundation confirmed £141,639 was raised in GLL pools in 2026.
GLL is the largest provider of public swimming in the UK (140 pools, 9 lidos and one reservoir) including the iconic Manchester Aquatic Centre, West Reservoir and London Fields Lido – and the biggest provider of swimming lessons – teaching 200,000 people a week, including adult swimmers.
Among them is Hough End Pool, Manchester swimmer Susanna Amato, 35. She said: “Considering a year ago I could not swim, I'm hugely proud of completing my fundraising swim for Swimathon 2026 - GLL's biggest Swimathon to date. Supporting people living with cancer is incredibly important and I've been really impressed by the strong backing shown by the UK's swimming community."
Swimathon also supports end of life charity Marie Curie and the Swimathon Foundation.
GLL’s head of sport and aquatics Andrew Clark said: “Congratulations to Susanna and all our charity fundraisers in Swimathon's 40th year.
"With 1362 taking part, Swimathon 2026 is the biggest challenge of its kind we’ve hosted in GLL pools. The world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research - Cancer Research UK - and the UK’s leading end of life charity - Marie Curie - as well as Swimathon Foundation directly benefit from our fundraisers' efforts. Swimathon brought people back to the pool in their droves to rediscover their love of swimming."
Among GLL’s pools that hosted large numbers of fundraising swims were:
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London Fields Lido (Hackney) – 97 swims, £11,914.56
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Charlton Lido (Greenwich) - 88 swims, £4898,50
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Yearsley Swimming Pool (York) - 66 swims, £2762.50
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Parkside Pools (Cambridge) - 65 swims, £4671.49
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East Manchester Leisure Centre – 28 swims, £2591.61
Swimathon president Duncan Goodhew is celebrating 50 years since becoming an Olympian. He visited GLL's London Fields Lido on Saturday 21 March to cheer on challenge fundraisers. He commented: "Thanks to GLL and all our pool operator hosts for supporting their community swimmers young and old to raise much-needed funds for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie during Swimathon 2026.
"In our 40th anniversary year, Swimathon more than ever exemplifies the collective positive energy of the UK's swimming community and the benefits swimming brings."
More press releases and updates from GLL:
GLL, the charitable social enterprise operating Libraries and Leisure Centres across the UK,
has today (9 June 2026) announced that it will be supporting the National Year of Reading as
a major campaign partner alongside national organisations, including BBC Sport, Audible, DC
Thomson and Tesco.
School assemblies and water safety messages as part of swim lessons. The UK's largest
public pools and swim school operator, GLL, is providing timely activities during Drowning
Prevention Week (13-20 June 2026) to raise awareness of water safety ahead of kids breaking
up for the summer holidays.
Picture caption (left to right): At Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park's Copper Box Arena - GSF
Legacy Amabassador Ellie Simmonds OBE, GSF Programme's Louise Smith & Tony Wallace, and GSF
2026 Cohort athletes Autumn Eke, Sidonie Cleave, Mohammed Belbouab,
11 new GLL venues added this April are a 'win:win' Pitch booking solutions company
PlayFootball have added a further 11 GLL venues which can now be conveniently hired online
on their platform - keeping more local communities across the UK active, with mor
Last year, charitable social enterprise GLL embarked on a new partnership with The Felix
Project, London’s largest food redistribution charity.
GLL: news from HCMmag.com and FitTechGlobal.com
Work has started on the £68.7 million refurbishment of the historic Kings Hall Leisure Centre in
Hackney, with a planned reopening in early 2029.
Charitable social enterprise, GLL has launched an enhanced digital health and wellbeing
platform on its Better_uk App, called Live Better.
GLL: featured in HCM and Fit Tech magazines
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Environment: Cutting carbon
With skillful management and investment, it’s possible
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GLL
Address:
Middlegate House,
The Royal Arsenal,
London,
SE18 6SX,
UK
Peter Bundey, chief executive
HCM SUMMIT
Watch Peter Bundey, CEO, GLL, speak at HCM Summit 2025
GLL video gallery:
Key personnel
Peter Bundey, chief executive
Phil Donnay, deputy chief executive & CFRO
Phil Donnay, deputy chief executive & CFRO
Key customers
Companies we work with include:
• Annodata,
• Physical Company,
• Technogym,
• Change Please, and
• Divine Chocolate.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include:
• Greenwich Council,
• Belfast City Council,
• Cardiff City Council,
• Lee Valley Regional Park Authority,
• LLDC,
• ukactive,
• SportsAid,
• SportsAid Wales,
• Mary Peters Trust,
• Swim England, and
• Sport England.
• Annodata,
• Physical Company,
• Technogym,
• Change Please, and
• Divine Chocolate.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include:
• Greenwich Council,
• Belfast City Council,
• Cardiff City Council,
• Lee Valley Regional Park Authority,
• LLDC,
• ukactive,
• SportsAid,
• SportsAid Wales,
• Mary Peters Trust,
• Swim England, and
• Sport England.
Plans for the next 12 months
Our 2026 strategies and roadmap are
already well-shaped and are based on
our Five-Year Plan, launched in 2024.
With our positive performance and improved social outcomes during 2024, GLL is well placed to be at the forefront of societal, economic and environmental change.
The future will see us focusing on excellent customer service alongside our social enterprise values and growing our social impact, while new partnerships with Government Departments, NHS, National Agencies and numerous National Charities will support individual wellness and economic outcomes.
With our positive performance and improved social outcomes during 2024, GLL is well placed to be at the forefront of societal, economic and environmental change.
The future will see us focusing on excellent customer service alongside our social enterprise values and growing our social impact, while new partnerships with Government Departments, NHS, National Agencies and numerous National Charities will support individual wellness and economic outcomes.
Testimonial
“We made the decision to begin supporting the GLL Sport Foundation in 2015, and it is a pleasure to announce the renewal of our sponsorship with this incredible institution.
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
Testimonial
"I am so thankful for the support I have received from GLL Sport Foundation. My first individual medal ever is extremely special, and I would not be here if it wasn’t for the support, I have received from the GLL ‘family’.”
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
Testimonial
"This exciting new chapter cements the future of our six key sports venues and is part of our commitment to the many communities we serve far and wide. We have carefully structured this partnership with GLL to ensure that visitors will continue to enjoy the very best in these stellar, highly popular venues. We look forward to together creating exciting new programmes and activities that draw on the strengths of both organisations.
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
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