Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club has received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes in the first of four monthly awards through its Building Futures initiative.

The scheme will deliver more than £1m to good causes in this year, supporting community groups in England, Scotland and Wales working with under-18s across three categories – education & arts, health, and sport.

The swimming club aims to make swimming more accessible in the community as a life skill while instilling in young people a life-long love of the sport.

On hearing of the award, Karen Green from the club said: “This is absolutely amazing news, thank you Persimmon Homes.

“We will spend this money fulfilling a long-held wish to provide new members from disadvantaged backgrounds with free starter kits of hat, goggles, kick board, fins and pull buoy. Over the last four years the club has made a major commitment to supporting members with disabilities, from disadvantaged backgrounds or with long-term illnesses. To the best of our knowledge, we are the only swimming club in Hertfordshire to operate such a programme.

“We have purchased specialist disability equipment and established a hardship fund which currently offers remission of fees for around 10% of our members.”