We had an absolutely amazing day recently as five wonderful children from our North West fostering team spent an unforgettable afternoon learning to swim with Olympic swimmer, Becky Adlington.
Our little swimmers, aged between four and ten, had a blast at swim! Liverpool South, learning all about water safety, playing fun pool games, and practising their swimming techniques. The kids were over the moon, especially when they each received a keepsake bag, a cool branded hat, and a certificate to remember their special day.
Founder of swim! and Olympian Becky Adlington, said: “Swimming is a vital life skill, it helps physical health and fitness, has emotional benefits, provides social interaction, safety and promotes inclusivity and normalcy which is so important for children in care.
“The session was brilliant, the kids had an amazing time, learning new skills and having fun at the same time, it was great to meet the children and their foster parents.”
One of our amazing foster parents, Denise, has been with Orange Grove since 2018 and came along with the child in her care. Denise shared, “Team swim! are fantastic. I had a very frightened little boy who has struggled with water in all its forms for a long time, but the staff went above and beyond to put him at ease and show him the fun he can have in the water. This was a huge turning point for him, I’m now taking him swimming twice a week and his confidence continues to grow.”
Isn't that just heartwarming? And it gets even better! After the session, Becky Adlington showed the children her medals. Can you imagine the excitement of seeing a real Olympic gold medal up close? The kids were buzzing with excitement!
Jemma, our family support worker at Orange Grove, was thrilled about the day. She said, “This was such a fantastic opportunity for our children. They had the best day as reflected by all their giggles and beaming faces."
"One of our children has cerebral palsy and the swim! team accommodated their needs perfectly, championing inclusivity and ensuring they got the most out of the experience. We’ve even had some of our young people asking when they can go back! I’d like to thank Becky Adlington and all the staff - you were amazing!”
We're all so grateful to Becky and the wonderful team at swim! for making this day so special for the children in our care. Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter was priceless.