A SERIES of splashathons will take place across Newport over the next few days to raise money for a baby charity.

Classes will be held at Duffryn High School, Maes Ebbw School, and Llanhennock Cheshire Care Home as part of a national drive, with the aim of raising £10,000 towards a national target of £1m for Tommy’s.

Babies and toddlers will carry out challenges throughout July to raise money for the baby charity, which aims to prevent complications such as miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

Babies will each be set a challenge by their teacher such as doing a glide swim underwater or swimming through a hoop, while older babies and toddlers might raise money by swimming as far as they can underwater independently.

Parents are encouraged to ask friends and family to sponsor their youngsters.

Jacqui Grant, the South East Wales organiser for Water Babies classes, said: “For many parents, the sight of their baby doing their first solo dip underwater, or swimming through a hoop for the first time is a proud moment.

“It’s hard to believe that even in this day and age, every day across the UK over 600 women experience a miscarriage, 10 babies are stillborn and 150 babies are born prematurely.

“Tommy’s is one of the few organisations dedicated to funding medical research into the causes of such tragedies.”

For more information on Water Babies classes, call 01633 278504 or visit www.waterbabies.co.uk