iPod Rescued After One Week at Sea

In Septemper an unfortunate customer dropped their iPod and Overboard waterproof case into the water while on a boating trip, lost.

After one week a sub found it at 10 meters depth. The case had kept the iPod perfectly dry and it only needed to be recharged!

Don't Teach Me!

A video message from a swim school in Southern California...

Take a family dip for free

If you're a British Gas customer, you can take the family for a free swim, without dipping into your wallet.

Liam Tancock's backstroke masterclass

If you want to improve your backstroke, who better to ask than world champion Liam Tancock?

50m men's champ Liam gives Jon from CBCC's newsround a backstroke masterclass to improve his stroke.

Take the Huggies Swim 4 Life Challenge

Huggies Little Swimmers want to help mums through this new experience and have developed with the help of trusted experts, a handy step by step guide to give you all the tools you need to take the plunge!

You'll start with Week 1, introducing your baby to the sensation of water in the bath and complete the challenge in Week 4 having conquered the swimming pool and broken down any barriers. And did you know that Under 16's and over 60's can now swim for free?

So what are you waiting for? Take the Huggies Swim4Life Challenge for non-stop water fun!

As easy as falling in the pool

How come there's never a camera around when you make that perfect dive? Something to cheer you up over Christmas in between turkey and The Queen's Speech!

Skip, skip, skip to the loo...

Perfect for those cross-legged moments, Water Aid's ToiletFinder is now #14 in the iPhone apps lifestyle category. Don't forget to tell your friends about the App too!

Could you design WaterAid’s 2010 Christmas card?

Calling all young artists and designers…

If you are between seven and 15, enter your designs to be in with the chance to win Water Aid's exciting new competition.

One winning design from each of the two age categories will be chosen to be transformed into Christmas cards and sold as part of Water Aid's 2010 range to raise funds for their life changing work.

Team USA takes victory at Duel in the Pool

Michael Phelps helped Team USA to victory in Manchester. Swimming.org reports that 8 world records were broken during the 2 day head-to-head finals between USA and the E-Stars.

Young Woman and the Sea

Santa is bringing me a swimming book (fingers crossed) for Christmas and I thought you might like to discover a little about the story and why I have asked for this book in particular.

Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World, is by Glenn Stout.

Previously I have mentioned I am by no stretch of the imagination a good swimmer, but have developed a new interest in swimming thanks to my seven year old daughter. I have battled to get past a 25 metre barrier whilst my daughter recently swam 400 metres.

I am always very keen to be the best role model I possibly can, so being outclassed in the pool by my daughter got me thinking. How long was I going to leave it before I could call myself a good swimmer (a life-long dream of mine), what would motivate me to get rid of those voices in my head making me give up before I reach the wall?

So I searched the internet for Charity Swims and discovered that the inaugural British Gas Great London Swim (one mile outdoor swim) took place in the Royal Victoria Dock in August this year. The link I found was from The Child Bereavement Trust which was even more interesting to me as they are based close to my daughter’s school. Every day when I walk past their building it puts my own troubles into perspective and makes me think how lucky I am.

Pondering if I could transform myself from a 25 metre swimmer to a one mile swimmer in 7 months I stumbled across an article about cross Channel swimmers. To be reminded that Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to cross the English Channel on August 6, 1926 in 14 hours and 31 minutes made me feel very cross with myself. What an amazing achievement that was without any of the latest wetsuits and goggles we have access to today. She only had a red bathing suit, skull cap and motorist’s goggles which were fixed to her face with candle wax to make them waterproof.

"I just knew if it could be done, it had to be done, and I did it," she said.

The second British Gas Great London Swim takes place on 3 July 2010. I am “only” trying to do one mile and will have the backing of Seriously Fun Swimming Schools who can help me get pool time and training plans, and of course Funswimshop will support me with all the training aids, wetsuits, goggles and swim hats I may need.

I can’t wait to get my Christmas present and find out a bit more about that remarkable woman.

At the end of the day on 3 July 2010 I hope I can say:
“I just knew if it could be done, it had to be done, and I did it!”

Please do get in touch (carlalloyd@funswimshop.co.uk) with details of any Charity Swims you are doing in 2010.

Five Famous Christmas Day Dips

Fancy doing something a bit different on Christmas Day? Fed up of Turkey? Then swap it for Goose (pimples) instead!

Why not don your Speedos, wetsuit, swim cap (x2 for warmth), goggles or even fancy dress and hardily head off to one of these annual festive swimming events. Taking part in or being a spectator at one of these displays of English eccentricity is bound to make 2009 a Christmas to remember.

The Peter Pan Cup Christmas Morning Handicap Swim
Where: The Serpentine, Hyde Park, London. 9am.
Members of the Serpentine Swimming Club swim all year round and on Christmas morning they hold a 100 yard race. You must be a member of the club and have taken part in the entire Winter series as to swim without acclimatisation could prove fatal!
James Barrie the novelist presented the first Peter Pan Cup back in 1904.

52nd Hunstanton Round Table Christmas Swim
Where: Central Promenade, Hunstanton, Norfolk. 11am.
This chilly dip in The Wash was started in 1957 by the Hunstanton Seagulls Swimming Club and now attracts over one hundred entrants and thousands of spectators. It became a sponsored event back in 1971 and has raised huge sums of money for many charitable causes.

45th Annual Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim 2009
Where: The Hi-Tide Inn, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan. 11.45am.
Arlon Owens and Jack Bridge founded this event back in 1965. The swim became a sponsored event in 1971. They have supported many local and national charities which are all detailed on their website. The popularity of the swim continues to grow with 930 entrants in 2008 including people from America and all over Europe.

Brighton Christmas Day Swim
Where: Albion Beach, West Pier, Brighton, East Sussex. 11am.
Brighton Swimming Club was founded in 1860 and is the oldest swimming club in England. They are the coolest crowd on the South Coast, taking a dip in the sea every morning regardless of temperature or rough waves. The Christmas Day Swim is just another one of those events which make Brighton so unique. Since 2007 lifeguards are present in the water dressed as Father Christmas or Reindeer. Non-members participate at their own risk.

Hampton Pool
Where: High Street, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2ST
They have a wonderful 36m pool maintained to a temperature of around 28 degrees all year round. On Christmas Day serious lane swimmers can pre-book a 30 minute session for £10 at either 6.15am, 6.45am. or 7.15am.
The general Christmas Day session takes place between 8.00am-12.00pm
Adult £6.50; concession £3.70; and junior (4-15) £3.20.

Keep swimming over the holidays!

About (Carla Lloyd)

Carla Lloyd (Marketing Manager)
Contact
Email: carlalloyd@funswimshop.co.uk
Tel: 0844 35 11 478

Bio
Carla Lloyd is Marketing Manager at FunSwimShop.co.uk. Carla spent over 15 years as an Event Manager organising and co-ordinating Corporate Hospitality, Incentive Travel, Conferences, Exhibitions, and Product Launches before hanging up her passport to have her daughter.

She joined FunSwimShop in 2008 after looking around for a child friendly company who could offer a challenging role to suit school hours. Carla has always been driven by excellent service and customer satisfaction, she enjoys getting involved with charity events and putting our swimming equipment through rigorous self-testing in the pool!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me

A jacket for buoyancy

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Eight swim caps stretching
Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Nine flippers kicking
Eight swim caps stretching
Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Ten dolphins leaping
Nine flippers kicking
Eight swim caps stretching
Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Eleven snorkels blowing
Ten dolphins leaping
Nine flippers kicking
Eight swim caps stretching
Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Twelve beach balls bouncing
Eleven snorkels blowing
Ten dolphins leaping
Nine flippers kicking
Eight swim caps stretching
Seven wetsuits warming
Six dive toys sinking
Five sun rings
Four squirty toys
Three bath ducks
Two arm bands
and a jacket for buoyancy

NEW “Eco” Product: The Happy Nappy System

The most essential item in your baby’s swim kit is the Splash About Happy Nappy. In fact, most Baby Swimming Schools in the UK now recommend that all babies wear one.

Although they work perfectly well on their own, most pools insist on the double nappy system whereby your baby needs to wear a disposable swimming nappy underneath the Happy Nappy.

Splash About therefore developed a system to save you money and to protect the environment.

Stage 1. 25 Biodegradable, flushable liners to hold solids. Ideal to use with normal nappies as well as in water.



Stage 2. Soft, fine cotton Nappy Wrap.



Stage 3. Happy Nappy

To use

• Put a flushable liner folded to fit on the open Nappy Wrap.
• Place baby on top, wrap around and fasten snugly.
• Slip the Happy Nappy over the Nappy Wrap and baby is ready to swim.

After use

• Remove Happy Nappy and rinse well in cool water. Dry away from direct light and heat. If you would like to re-use immediately just roll in a towel and squeeze.
• Remove the Nappy Wrap, tip the contents with liner into the loo or special purpose bin.
• The Nappy Wrap can be washed in the machine or by hand.