NORTH Cornwall Dragons swimming club head coach, Helen Tooley, said the club is ‘very close’ to ensuring their training camp in Fuerteventura goes ahead after airline company, Monarch, went out of business, writes David Sillifant.

Fifty-eight youngsters from the ages of ten to 18 from across the Duchy, including seven from the Post area, are scheduled to head to the Canary Islands from Wednesday, October 25 to Wednesday, November 1, to be coached by former Olympians, Jemma Lowe and Tom Haffield.

However those plans were put into chaos after the airline collapsed, leaving the group needing to raise £26,000 within a couple of weeks.

Initially it looked like the trip would, in all probability, have to be rescheduled, however, their blushes have been saved by the generosity of Barclays, who have agreed to pay £11,000 which will be recouped by the company once everyone is refunded, as well as giving a £4,000 donation.

Local comedian Jethro has also given £5,000 while a Just Giving page has so far raised £5,842 (as the Post went to print), meaning they’re just a few hundred pounds off of their target.

Despite being back on track, Helen is still experiencing plenty of logistical problems.

She said: “ The new flight was booked with Thomas Cook but when we went to book the tickets, there were only 30 full return flights and 29 one way outbound flights. So we were short 29 return only flights.

“Group bookings were closed over the weekend and we have been crazily scrambling around for alternative options. We found a willing booking agent from British Airways, who booked us 29 flights to return to Gatwick.

“The Barclays refund and donation, crowd funding and a further donation from comedian Jethro, have covered almost all of these latest arrangements, but not without more complications. The new Thomas Cook flight is leaving from Bristol but at a time which requires an overnight stay!

“It is also only offering 6kg hand luggage, which is a problem because we originally opted for limited checked bags so that the price could be kept down and swimmers were to take their kit and clothes in cabin bags. So now we have to pay for 30 checked bags so the swimmers can share a suitcase each.

“The flight arrives 12 hours earlier than the original flight so we will have to source and pay for 59 lunches. In addition, to keep it a structured, disciplined camp, we will put on a training session in the late afternoon, which will cost!

“The Gatwick return flight will not arrive until late evening so we don’t anticipating leaving the airport until midnight. We are currently considering two options.

“The first is coach travel at midnight which, including a drivers break, will probably mean a return to Newquay around 6am or staying in Gatwick overnight in a cheap hotel and flying from Gatwick to Newquay first thing in the morning. This option means that swimmers will get a decent nights sleep and will arrive just an hour or so late for school. However, we’re very close now so I’m confident we’ll be going.”

Helen first spoke to the Post last week before news of Barclays’ and Jethro’s donations came through, and was left fuming by Monarch and the chance that their dream trip to Fuerteventura would have to be cancelled.

She said: “We paid Monarch over the money on the Thursday (September 28) and for them to take the money knowing full well that they could go under is just disgusting.

“However, the worst part about it is that for some of the children, this is their first ever training camp and it’s great preparation for the start of the gala season in November. Some of the children do five to six sessions a week while some of the national champions we have do eight or nine a week.

“This would be the third year that we’ve done the camp and it’s great. They’ll be coached by former Olympian, Jemma Lowe, and they make so many friends and create memories. So for them not to go would be devastating.

“These children train before and after school and are dedicated to living a good clean, healthy lifestyle so we’ll do whatever we can to ensure we go.

“However, even if we can’t, the fundraising page will be kept open. I’m always optimistic but it’s difficult. There are potential Olympians in the group and at the moment their dreams are shattered.”

Helen has also praised the generosity of the Cornish people in North Cornwall Dragons’ time of need.

Helen said: “We went on BBC Spotlight and the support of everyone has been just incredible. The Cornish people will always come together and it’s amazing how people are prepared to support worthwhile causes in their time of need.

“I will not stop until it goes ahead, whenever that may be.”

Thankfully for Helen and the 58 young swimmers, it seems is if their wish is likely to come true.

To donate to the North Cornwall Dragons’ Just Giving page, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/northcornwalldragons