Faulkner and Adlington spearhead inaugural SwimBritain relay

SwimBritain has been launched today with the aim of getting 500,000 people swimming regularly by 2015.

British Gas, the sponsors, are to host 11 team relay events across the country in August and September with one of the events taking place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge.

And Olympic medallists Rebecca Adlington, Michael Jamieson and Ellie Simmonds are challenging you to take part.

Other Olympians involved are Keri-anne Payne, Hannah Miley, Steve Parry, Duncan Goodhew and Mark Foster.

In Sheffield, London 2012 Olympians Ellie Faulkner, the City of Sheffield swimmer who competed in the 800m freestyle, and City of Sheffield diver Monique Gladding, will be taking part in the relay.

Both Faulkner, 20, and Gladding, 31, are ambassadors for SwimBritain.

Gladding said: “I’m a diver but this is still great for me because I cannot swim that well.”

There is a SwimBritain challenge for adults and children, designed either for teams of four, of for solo.

They are: SwimBritain - a relay in 250m legs. Each team member swims four legs, 1,000m in total.

Little SwimBritain - a relay of 125m legs for families and children aged between eight and 16.

SwimBritain DIY - solo swimmers accept the challenge at their local pool.

The package also incorporates quality coaching, motivation and encouragement from Britain’s biggest swimming stars.

The event in Sheffield is held on Sunday, September 1.

By signing up you are entitled to entry into the SwimBritain relay, four coaching sessions, a t-shirt, timing band, a swimming cap and a medal.

Prices are £15 for adults, £10 under-16s, or £10 for British Gas customers.

Family passes are priced £29, or £25 for British Gas customers.

And it’s £29 (£20 British Gas customers) for the open water event.

For more information or to sign up visit www.swimbritain.co.uk/challenge