A LEISURE centre in Maldon is celebrating several charity events held this year that have helped them raise over £2,500.

Blackwater Leisure Centre on Park Road in Maldon has had several busy months of events and fundraising and have thanked the public for their support.

In March this year, the centre along with all sites owned by the Places for People Leisure Family, hosted Swimathon events.

These events, held across the country every year, help raise money for Sport Relief, and the 27 entrants at Blackwater raised a grand total of £2,387.99, bringing the total from the Places for People group to over £169,000.

As well as the March event, Blackwater also held an Oceans of Fun Open Day in July, welcoming three Olympians to help train and teach children. During that day, children and families raised £146 for their designated charity, Barracudas.

A spokesman for the leisure centre said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the Swimathon and our Oceans of Fun Open Day.

“This is not the end of our fundraising efforts for this year. In October we will be supporting Heart UK with their National Cholesterol Month. We will be rowing, on our machines, the equivalent of Liverpool to Dublin.”