Simone’s Story: Finding Freedom and Joy Through WeSwim

Six years ago, Simone’s life took an unexpected turn after she experienced a stroke, leaving her with neuropathy, a condition that causes shooting pain, numbness and tingling in hands and feet. She now faces chronic pain and sensitivity to touch, challenges that impact her daily life. Despite this, she’s a dedicated member of the WeSwim club, making the weekly journey by scooter and train to our club.

For Simone, swimming is more than exercise—it's a refuge. "We attend WeSwim because we feel safe and secure in the pool, while enjoying our time with the volunteers and club members,” she says. “It’s a very nurturing and encouraging environment. The volunteers are super kind, enthusiastic, and friendly. There’s always someone to point you in the right direction.”

As a musician, Simone finds that being in the water offers a unique freedom, a soothing escape that enables her to temporarily ease the physical pain and limitations she experiences. For her and hundreds of others, WeSwim represents not only physical activity but also a vital source of support, empowerment, and community connection.

2024 has been a fantastic year for WeSwim. We opened two new clubs and welcomed 222 new swimmers with disabilities.

But to keep the momentum going, we need your help. 1 in 6 Londoners has a disability and we have a waiting list of over 120 people.

Next year we want to open new clubs to get more people with disabilities into the water. It costs us £10,000 to run each club for 6 months. We all know next year will be tougher, especially for people with disabilities if costs keep rising.

How your donations can help:

£5 can cover the costs of refreshments for our swimmers

£20 can cover the costs one volunteer’s DBS checks to get them started

£40 can covers the cost of an entire swim for a person with disabilities

This holiday season, we're launching our Christmas appeal to raise £10,000. Let’s give our swimmers the community they deserve—a safe, supportive space to stay active and connected.

Join us in making a difference this Christmas and help us reach even more swimmers like Simone in 2025!

Every donation counts. Thank you for your support, and happy holidays!