I have been teaching swimming for 33 years and have taught over 22,000 pupils
ranging from the age of 3 months to 98 years old. These pupils include state and
private school children with all abilities including deaf and autistic children.
I have taught all over the globe, from the UK to Europe, East to West Africa.
At the age of 8, I learned how to swim through school lessons in South London.
I was so happy when I achieved my 10 metres certificate, so my dad framed it,
but little did I know that I would become a swimming teacher myself. I really
wish that I still had that certificate now, as in my 25th year of teaching I
returned to the pool where I received my first certificate, to teach others how to
swim; life really does go in circles.
My favourite hobby is travelling, which has allowed me to swim in all kinds of
waters. From scuba diving in the Red Sea off Egypt to swimming with dolphins
in the Indian Ocean off Mauritius. I have climbed Dunn’s River Falls in
Jamaica, slept on the beach in St Lucia waiting for turtles to lay their eggs,
handled the crocodiles in Spain and cruised the Caribbean Sea. I love getting to
know the locals and making friends, learning about their culture and seeing the
wildlife, and have even walked with lions in the Gambia. I use my travelling
experiences to help me with my most challenging pupils, to encourage them to
learn to swim so that if they are ever in a difficult situation in the water, either
on holiday or at home, they can have the confidence to save a life, whether that
is their own or even someone else’s. Plus, being able to swim gives you great
confidence and it is a marvellous low impact sport.
To date, I have written 3 children’s books about swimming, to help kids
experience learning to swim, through the eyes of a boy called Jean-Paul and his
friends. These have also proved invaluable in preparing kids for when they
eventually attend their first swimming lesson.
My hope is that through my books I can inspire children to develop confidence in the water, discover the joy of swimming and, most importantly, recognise that learning to swim is a gift that can stay with them for a lifetime.
