Swimming is a great leveller. In my nine years teaching Water Babies, I have seen what little children with cerebral palsy, Down's Syndrome, autism and other conditions and syndromes get from swimming. I've seen toddlers who move with difficulty on land, kick and splash just like everyone else. And I've seen the joy that brings them and their parents.

Fast forward to today, and I am now coaching outdoor swimming. While lots of people swim outdoors for the wonderful benefits to their mental health, people with less able bodies are still hugely under-represented. Actually, with a bit of planning around getting to the water and in and out, outdoor swimming has the potential to be wonderful for this hugely marginalised section of society. 

This is something that I want to change. I wrote an article for Outdoor Swimmer on the subject and now I'm swimming the Bantham Swoosh to raise money for Level Water who provides specialist swimming lessons for children with physical and sensory disabilities. I hope that some of these children will be a big part of the next generation of open water swimmers.

Here, an ex-Water Babies mum told me what swimming meant for her and her son Seb, now ten years old.

"Seb started at Water Babies when he was about 6 weeks old and it is something that really stands out as a huge milestone for me," said his mum Caroline. "24 hours after Seb was born, he was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. At the time, my world fell apart and I imagined a lifetime of difference and exclusion."

"A few weeks later I came across Water Babies and I wondered whether an instructor would be comfortable having us. I fired off an email and I remember the reply back – of course we could join Water Babies! The response was so normal it really lifted me." 

"Babies with Downs syndrome often have very low muscle tone and lack core strength, so taking Seb swimming would not only teach him life skills but he would also be gaining strength too."

"But going to Water Babies was so much more than a swimming lesson.  I happened to be with a really lovely group of mums, and some of the other babies had health challenges too. One little boy had cystic fibrosis, another had a growth condition and a lady in the class before had a baby who had had heart surgery."

"Seb is really confident in the pool. He loves to jump in and is amazing underwater. He is really sporty and football mad - he has been playing in his mainstream school’s A team, which really connects him with his peers. I am certain that his early days in the pool helped him with his core strength and coordination."

"Exercise is so important for physical and mental well-being and I want to instil good habits so that when he is an adult Seb keeps fit and healthy. Historically, adults with Downs syndrome have been at risk of becoming overweight, but thanks to more inclusive activities and better access to sport this is no longer the case."

This is just one story about how swimming can help children and their families in so many ways. Please help Level Water continue its wonderful work by helping me raise money by doing something that, luckily for me, I am able to do (with a lot of training!).