Dear CUSWPC alumni,
Since leaving Cambridge I am certain that the odd course acquaintance or rambling lecturer has faded from memory. What I hope however, is that the tadpole events, the training camps, the varsity match and (of course) its afterparty stay with you.
It’s been striking to me while speaking to many of you, that the passion for your sports has always had a central place in your lives. Both sport and the community that surrounds it, has had a significant impact on me. I struggle to imagine who I would’ve been had I not signed up for my first club’s trials.
It is a privilege to be your alumni officer and I can’t wait to let you know what’s been going on with CUSWPC, so please read on. In the meantime please add yourselves to the Alumni WhatsApp group (link below) for more updates. Do feel free to keep us updated with what you’re getting up to.
Many thanks,
Hana Tallentire
Alumni Officer 2025-2026
(ht495@cam.ac.uk)
Please join our alumni WhatsApp community for friendly conversation and news updates:
Click here to join!
Alumni Event: Pub Evening, 4th December
Date: 4th December
Time: 7pm onwards
Location: The Fentiman Arms, Vauxhall, SW8 1LN.
Skip the office party, forget the Christmas shopping, will you be at the CUSWPC alumni pub evening? Following the success of our previous winter pub event we are returning to the scene of the crime at the Fentiman Arms in Vauxhall (https://maps.app.goo.gl/JGYq64ucSqLvfWYK9?g_st=ipc). We’ve had tadpoles of all generations in the past so it’d be fantastic to see loads of faces. I’d personally love to hear how the club has changed throughout the years!
We know some of our alumni are not on the mailing list (poor souls) so please spread the word amongst your contacts. We don’t want to miss anyone out!
Aurelio (President), James Ganendra (Senior Alumni President), James Scott (Senior Treasurer) and myself will be in London before the event, so if anyone would like to meet up for a coffee please let me know (ht495@cam.ac.uk). We’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts on the club!
Our Alumni are still smashing it!
Some of our alumni just couldn’t get enough of it at CUSWPC and are still making massive waves in the pool!
Steve Braine and Roger Sharpley have been swimming at the World and National Masters Championships, while Peter Leach has smashed a Canadian Masters age group record! Slightly closer to home, Nigel Burnham has taken on the Chillswim Ullswater end to end swim, and Alex Norcliffe reflects on his 9 years in CUSWPC.
Read how they’ve been getting on!
Our committee also recently met with alumni David Skidmore and Donald Broom (pictured) to hear their thoughts on the club and look through some historical documents!
Cambridge University Alumni Channel Swim Team (We are recruiting!)
James Ganendra (M. 2015, Trinity) is organising a Cambridge University Alumni Channel Swim Team for June 2027, raising funds for CUSWPC and Cambridge Children’s Hospital. Alumni interested in taking part are warmly encouraged to confirm interest using the link below, where further information is also available (no deposit required at this stage).
https://forms.gle/xbJ3vXuUDqnH4peR9
This is a fantastic opportunity to complete a relay Channel crossing in a team of six, swimming in one-hour rotations (2–3 swims each). Team confirmation and the first deposit (approx. £250) will take place in January – February 2026. If you have any questions, feel free to contact James Ganendra at jdganendra@gmail.com.
Pre-season and Competition Updates
Our swimming and water polo teams have started the year strong, with all squads completing pre-season training. BUCS competitions have also now started, and you can read the Captains’ reports online below!
Thank you!
Last year we spent around £50,000 on pool hire and £7,500 on transport to competitions, with each session costing £200 – £300 on average. This is around £800 per member for the year. A generous donation, alongside the Sport Service’s donation matching scheme (see more below!), has allowed us to subsidise training fees down to £210 – £590 this year depending on squad. In contrast, membership to Parkside Pools and Gym during term time is only £220. This raises the concern that incoming freshers will choose not to train with us. Unfortunately many colleges don’t significantly subsidise their students’ sports fees, making this a difficult choice for many.
The University Sports Service has agreed to continue matching donations received (up to £7,500), while some employers also match employee donations, and since the University is a charity, pre-tax salary sacrifice or tax refunds can be used. This means £50 for you could lead to us receiving nearly £400!
All your donations go towards covering the cost of our pool hire and transportation to meets and matches. We are very grateful for anything you are able to give.