Dear friends, This year I have been invited to join friends to participate in the Bantham Swoosh in South Devon. It is a 6km tidal swim down the River Avon from Aveton Gifford to Bantham Beach, the Aune Estuary. The ‘swoosh’ is a phenomenon where the tide accentuated water flow is funnelled through a narrow section of the river, accelerating the current, as it approaches the sea. The challenge, as ever in the UK, will be water temperature (12-15C) and unpredictable weather. Last year the nearby Burgh Island swim was stormy and 14C! The swim is in aid of Level Water, a special charity that teaches children with disabilities to swim and be liberated by the buoyancy and freedom of water. It provides very significant benefits to these children!

Level Water

Level Water use the power of swimming to improve lives for children with disabilities.

Everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water.

The first splash. The holding your breath. The echoes of laughter. The wet hair. The lifted spirits. The joy of gliding through water. The smile that lasts all day.

Swimming is like nothing else. The skills you develop, the confidence you build and the joys you feel are all universal. Yet access to swimming in the UK is not.

At Level Water, we use the power of swimming to improve lives for children with disabilities.

Everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water.

Our Mission: We give children with disabilities the opportunity to learn to swim. From physical development to social and emotional confidence, swimming is a vehicle to change their lives for the better. To make this happen and create long lasting impact, we know it can’t be done in isolation.

Level Water unites and collaborates with teachers, families, fundraisers, pools, supporters, governing bodies – and children with disabilities. We help the whole industry to share this mission.

Our Vision: Our goal is to kickstart a love of swimming in children with disabilities. A love that acts as an example of everything that life can offer them, starting from that very first splash. We see a future where all children benefit from physical health that’s matched with a mindset of optimism and positivity, of going for it and seeing what’s possible in life.

Starting with our specialist swimming lessons, we create opportunities for children with disabilities and their families. We are agents of change, to ensure that all children have a great start in swimming and develop a lifetime of love for the water.