AN Olympic gold medallist swimmer gave five foster children from Warrington a free swimming lesson.
The group children from Orange Grove Foster Care, aged between four and 10, were invited into the pool at Swim! Liverpool South to work on their aquatic skills with Becky Adlington and her team.
Each child learnt about water safety, enjoyed pool games, and was taught swimming techniques by the accomplished athlete.
Before being handed a keepsake bag with a hat and certificate as a reminder of the wonderful event.
Founder of Swim! and four-time Olympic medallist 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.”
Denise Orme has been fostering with Orange Grove since 2018 and attended the session with her foster child.
Speaking on the session she said: “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.”
After the session, Becky showed the children her medals who were very excited to see an Olympic gold medal in the flesh.
Jemma Albiston, family support worker at Orange Grove Warrington added: “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.”
The swimming sessions are free for foster children and are funded by the Arete Foundation.
For more information visit their website here: swim.co.uk/about-us/ or for more information on fostering with Orange Grove in the northwest, visit their website here: orangegrovefostercare.co.uk/offices/warrington/
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