Radford makes a splash for a good cause

Over the first weekend in August, a dedicated team of Radford College students and staff took part in the 2025 Canberra MS Mega Swim at the Australian Institute of Sport – an inspiring 24-hour relay event raising funds for people living with multiple sclerosis.

The Radford College team, organised by Kate in Year 10, was made up of 20 participants, including students from Years 6 to 10, and staff members Mr Alex Timms and Mr Liam Braithwaite. Together, they swam an impressive 69.55 km and raised a remarkable $5,014 – exceeding their original fundraising goal of $3,000.

Kate was inspired to lead the team after participating in the event with her father last year and through her personal connection to the cause.

'We have a few close family friends who suffer from multiple sclerosis,' Kate said. 'Last year, it dawned on me the great impact a Radford team could have on this event. It’s such a great cause and the funds go towards helping so many people with MS through scholarships, household support and so much more.'

Kate swam more than 9 km across multiple 20-minute sessions and 100-metre relays, but she was most inspired by the effort and energy of the whole team.

'Some members who didn’t have much swimming experience came down, did some laps and beat personal records, which I think was lovely,' she said.

The Radford team finished fourth in fundraising and fifth in total swimming distance out of the 12 Canberra-based teams that took part – an outstanding result.

Congratulations to everyone involved: Kate, Mr Timms, Mr Braithwaite, Mr Jeremy Hawkes, Carys, Stella, Ruben, Emilie, Alexander, Mae, Kanaka, Henry, Owen, Zara, Tor, Quentin, Victor, Lawrence, Anna and Georgia.