THEY have what it takes to swim lengths in record speeds but now this team aims to be a high flyer with Flybe’s help.

Southampton Swimming Club has nominated itself for the first ever Flybe Local Heroes Awards which is open to all charities, educational groups and sports enthusiasts in the Southampton region.

The secretary of the sports team Colin Bosley put the club forward to be in with a chance of winning a whopping £7,000 in bursaries to progress the club.

Flybe has generously offered £21,000 in cash and travel funds to be split between the winners of each of the three categories: Flybe Sport in the Community, Flybe Charity in the Community and Flybe Education in the Community. Each will get £3,000 in cash and a travel bursary of £4,000 to be used on the Flybe network.

Mr Bosley, said: “When I saw the Flybe Local Heroes Awards in the Daily Echo, I thought we must put our case forward.

“Southampton Swimming Club are shown to be a club surging forward in their ambitions to succeed in their aim to be the best team in the south.

“This money would make a huge difference.”

The team, which swims at the Quays pool in Southampton, would use the money to buy equipment like a specialist swim bench to assist the coach in training new swimmers the correct swim stroke techniques at poolside.

The Flybe travel bursary would mean the swimmers could take the plane to venues in both the UK and further afield to challenge teams across Europe.

Now people are being urged to nominate themselves or others for the special award before next Monday’s deadline.

The nominations will be judged by football legend Matt Le Tissier, Flybe head of marketing Ian Taylor and Daily Echo editor Ian Murray.

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