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Clachnacuddin agree link-up with Kessock Ferry Swim to get youngsters active and bring in funds

Highland League club will gain boost by playing role in summer event.

From left: event organisers from Aban, Calum Smith and Johannes Petersen, with Clach chairman Alex Chisholm. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson
From left: event organisers from Aban, Calum Smith and Johannes Petersen, with Clach chairman Alex Chisholm. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Highland League club Clachnacuddin aim to make a splash this summer by being at the heart of the popular Kessock Ferry Swim charity plunge.

Entries open this Tuesday at 10am for the event, which will take place on Sunday, June 25, and the football side, nicknamed the Lilywhites, have been confirmed as the corporate partner in 2023.

The swim, which made a long-awaited return after 50 years last June, is not only a fun event dating back to 1946, but it helps encourage youngsters in Merkinch and across Inverness to get active.

The 1,200m swim across the tidal narrows of the old ferry route between South and North Kessock raises money for local charities.

Organisers Àban are an outdoor education social enterprise who help offer positive adventures within the local community, and picked Clach as the beneficiaries for June’s dash in the water, which hit its maximum level of 300 participants last summer.

Swimmers last year helped raise £4,200, with Friends of Merkinch Local Nature Reserve being the chosen charity.

Long-term link forged by chairman

Clach stand to score 25% of all sponsorship proceeds and club chairman Alex Chisholm explained why he is keen to ensure this is not just a one-off fun day for all involved.

He said: “The Aban charity, which is based in the (Merkinch) Welfare Hall, got in touch.

“They then asked whether we’d be interested in coming on board with the Kessock Swim. We applied to become the event’s community partner.

“That is open to organisations in Merkinch who would be interested in providing volunteers on the day, so I felt it was a really good fit for us as we aim to further promote the benefits of outdoor activities and fitness.

“We were delighted to be taken on as their community partner for this year’s swim.

“Although the swim itself is a one-off in June, we see it as a long-term link whereby Aban is a local charity to us and we’d like to help one another out, in terms of through our youth development department.

“It is something we could all benefit from, especially the way things are right now with money being tight for so many. Why can’t we pool together our resources?

“The swim is really popular and it’s great to see so many local businesses being supportive of it as well.”

Clach ‘positive’ club for local area

Aban’s website confirms why Clach was their top pick to benefit in 2023.

It said: “The club provides opportunities for young, local players to participate and progress to the senior game.

“The club has a large youth programme alongside senior men’s and women’s teams.

“With strong links to Merkinch and South Kessock since 1885, the club provides a positive focus and something to be proud of.”

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