A swim and fitness centre in Suffolk is celebrating the end of a phenominal year which has seen it grace the national stage on several occasions.

Among the biggest achievements for Stradbroke Swim and Fitness Centre was coming in at second place out of 604 pools throughout the UK in a national swimathon competition, behind only London’s Olympic Park. The Stradbroke centre had 181 swimmers taking part, between them raising £10,035 for Marie Curie Cancer Relief.

Also this year, centre manager Stuart Murdy was awarded the top UK Gold Flame Award from UK Active, and member Lee Shipp made headlines when he came 23rd for the 35-39 age group in the World Triathlon Championships in Chicago in September – just two years after being taught how to swim competitively at the centre.

Swim coach Carolyn Hatton added to the accolade list by pedalling her way from London to Paris, while fellow coach and master competitor Len Phoenix has come 106 medals closer to achieving his 1,000 medal target for his 28-year career.

Fundraising efforts among the centre’s staff and members is also something to be applauded. In addition to the Swimathon fundraising, a distance swim event and sponsored Aquarobics raised more than £1,000 for the Anthony Nolan Trust. A further £800 was raised for the cause by Swimfit members Nic Edwards, David and Karen Wiley, Mark Nowell, Julia Green, Tim Hills and Giselle Frieberg in the 10k River Dart swim in Devon, with centre instructor Moira Towler, along with family and friends, completing the Spartan Challenge for the cause.

Members and staff are now making completing the final stages of the National Aspire 22-mile Channel Swim.

Swim coach Len Phoenix said: “The centre’s strapline of Everyone Active has been fulfilled and put Stradbroke amongst the best in the UK.

“The Swimathon team, headed by Duncan Goodhew, were gobsmacked that such a small rural location could ascend to this level of success, with huge thanks to Stradbroke organisers and staff.

“The Gold Flame Award speaks volumes about the Stradbroke customer’s enthusiasm and satisfaction putting their centre in the number one UK spot.

“It has been an outstanding year. With no rest, Stradbroke is putting the wheels into action again for 2016 with our swimathon and Sports Relief Mile in March and triathlon in May.

“Join us; it’s the “everyone active” place to be.”