My earliest memories of swimming are at The Walnuts pool on Tuesday nights after school. I used to work up an appetite during my lessons and then race to the cafe afterwards to enjoy a jacket potato and turn my tongue blue with a slush puppy. Swimming was a family activity. Sometimes it would be just me and my Brother, at other times we'd be joined in the pool after our lessons by my Dad and Grandad. Mum and Grandma used to brave the humidity to watch from the gallery, week in week out. 

I kept swimming as I grew up but this commitment was kicked into a higher gear when I found Swimfit classes at Teddington pool (run by our wonderful instructor Loraine). When lockdown hit in 2020 I found I missed the pool and the absence of my chlorine 'perfume' immensely. I wanted to find a way to swim again. It turned out that this was the push I needed to challenge myself to explore open water swimming while the pools were closed. A few of us from Swimfit decided to band together and headed to Shepperton Lake. We haven't looked back. 

Swimming for me is freedom, space and pure elation. I firmly believe it is a necessary life skill as well as a joyful activity that everyone should have the opportunity to try. Level Water is making this possible by using the power of swimming to improve the lives of children with disabilities. 

Thank you so much for your support. 

Caroline x