Swimming is a crucial life skill and provides so many benefits that reach far beyond the water, and it's so much more than just a sport, it's a favourite Kiwi pastime that everyone should enjoy throughout their life.

The Carterton Indoor Pool is the only indoor pool available to the community in the Southern Wairarapa. It’s in need of an urgent upgrade so that the community can continue to use it all year round.

Without the upgrade our community is in danger of losing it!

Help to keep it open by taking part in this Big Swim 10^6 fundraiser!

Our big audacious goal is to complete a total of a million metres during the month of March! Hence the name The Big Swim 10^6 (10 to the power 6 = 1,000,000m)

There’s loads of research that demonstrates why swimming is one of the best types of physical activity for people of all ages. One study that tracked over 80,000 adults for more than 20 years found that adults who swam regularly had a 28% lower risk of all-cause death and had a 41% lower risk of death from heart concerns.

Research has also gone on to show how swimming can positively impact your mental health. A group of 3.3 million adults were asked about the impact swimming had on their day-to-day lives, with 43 percent saying that it’s made them feel happier and 26% said to be more motivated to complete daily tasks.

There are only two pools available to the public in Wairarapa that provide an opportunity to swim all year round!

Built in 1987 by the community, the Carterton Indoor Pool is used by a cross section of the Wairarapa community from toddlers and schoolchildren, competitive and recreational swimmers, people requiring rehab, and the older generation looking for ways to keep active and mobile.

It’s available to users from all three Wairarapa districts, and people come as far away as Featherston, Martinborough, and Masterton.

A 2019 Facilities Condition Report found that Carterton's Indoor Pool building has significant structural and environmental issues and is need of an urgent upgrade. The upgrade will provide more opportunities for the community to use the pool. Watch the video about this: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/local-focus-carterton-swim-club-needs-1-million/JXIT3IQXQPC4RPTWEKQ3T7NBWQ/.

The Big Swim NZ is one of the Carterton Indoor Project fundraising events and is bringing together a community to raise the $1.7m needed to upgrade the pool facilities.

The event also highlights the benefits of swimming and ensures there is a local (all weather) indoor pool in Southern Wairarapa.