Buy photos » Holland bound: Duncan Sutcliffe from Mann Broadbent hands over the new kit to the Pershore SC members travelling to Eindhoven to compete in the club's first international gala. (s)

PERSHORE Swimming Club are sending a 17-strong team to Holland this weekend to compete in their first international open meet in Eindhoven.

The Netherlands International Invitational meet is the largest swimming meet held annually in the Netherlands and 2014 will see 34 clubs compete against each other, coming from as far afield as Azerbaijan, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

The two-day event will be held at the International Swim Stadium, which has 3,000 seats for spectators.

Worcester-based Mann Broadbent, leading specialists in sports and leisure insurance, has kindly donated £500 to help PSC fund the costs of attending the meet.

Duncan Sutcliffe, a director at Mann Broadbent, said: "Mann Broadbent is very proud to be sponsoring Pershore Swimming Club.

"Clubs such as Pershore Swimming Club form a vital part of any community and the work done by the club's members and volunteers offer up fantastic opportunities which need to be recognised and supported."

There are 17 Pershore swimmers competing across the weekend, with each racing in four events on the Saturday and four on the Sunday across various strokes for 50m and 100m.

Older swimmers will compete in the 50m international pool and have a choice to compete in the usual 50m/100m events plus longer distance 200m events.

The swimmers leave Pershore this evening (Friday) to travel to Eindhoven via the overnight ferry, before returning overnight on Sunday and arriving back into Pershore on Monday.

If you would like to make a donation to the club please e-mail [email protected].