WATER BABIES NEEDS YOU!
A big 'thank you' to everybody who nominated us in the annual Tommy's Let's Get Baby Friendly awards - we're now through to the voting stage in the category of Best Children's Activity Provider, with the winners being announced at a star-studded ceremony in March. Click here to find out more. Fingers and toes crossed for us please!
HONITON'S WATER BABIES JOINS BEACON SOUTH WEST
Hot off the press - Water Babies, whose Head Office is in Honiton, has been named as one of the South West’s most forward thinking and ambitious companies, qualifying for Beacon status in the region.
Beacon status is awarded to businesses in the region which demonstrate outstanding achievement across a range of criteria; providing companies in the South West with a portfolio of ‘Beacons’ to look to for leadership and examples of significant business performance. Needless to say, we're a little chuffed!
WHAT'S ON 4 LITTLE ONES
The annual What's On 4 Lilttle Ones awards are now open for nominations - you very kindly voted us Best National Baby Development Activity last year, so if you'd like to see us through to the voting stage and in with a chance of winning again, please nominate us in either the same category or in the Toddler Development Activity (or both!). And if you love your teacher, there's a separate category where you can nominate them too! Thank you!
We've just had the final Splashathon figures in from Tommy's, which make incredible reading ... Water Babies has raised an astonishing £387,179.31! That's an absolutely staggering amount, way beyond anything any of us could have dreamed of when we started our events in the summer.
Incredibly, in just four years we've raised over £750,000 for Tommy's. A massive 'thank you' to all our amazing Water Babies clients for taking this truly worthwile cause to your hearts. We've had the most amazing time taking part in this year's event, and hope you have too.
WATER BABIES, ASA AND IOS LAUNCH PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF BABY AND PRE-SCHOOL SWIMMING
We're delighted to announce that we've just signed a Skills Pledge with the Institute of Swimming (IoS) to provide premium education and training in baby and pre-school swimming, developing the only ASA externally accredited programme for under four year olds. This partnership will provide a seamless swimmer pathway, linking the Water Babies baby and toddler programmes into the British Gas ASA Learn to Swim framework, ensuring quality assured swimming instruction from birth with a clear development pathway. You can find out more about this exciting development here
http://www.swimming.org/ios/news/coaching/water-babies-and-ios-sign-skills-pledge/10604/ .
SEPTEMBER 2011 - NEW CLASSES IN ...
Falkirk & Cumbernauld - call Wendy on 01786 430314 or visit her local page to find out more.
Isle of Wight - classes starting in West Cowes, call Budge or Ali on 01794 324 353 or visit their page for more information.
WATER BABIES IN PETERBOROUGH
We're thrilled to be opening classes in Peterborough from September, give Debi a call on 01933651790, email chasebubba@waterbabies.co.uk or visit her local page to find out more.
SPLASH FOR CASH FOR TOMMY'S
We're gearing up nicely for this year's Splashathons in aid of Tommy's. We’re proud to have supported Tommy’s since 2006, raising more than £364,000 nationally to help fund vital research and provide information on the causes and prevention of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. And with one in four women still losing a baby in pregnancy or during birth, it's something that’s likely to affect every one of us at some point in our lives, either personally or through friends and family.
Splashathon is an opportunity for your little one to get sponsored to do a special swimming challenge – and as it will probably be the first sponsored event they ever do, it makes it even more special! During the coming weeks we’ll be hosting our Splashathon events as part of your normal swimming lesson and would really appreciate your support.This year, with your help, we all want to try and smash our previous collective target of £100,000, taking our grand total raised to over £500,000. Contact your local office if you haven't yet received details of how to participate, or if you need any further information.
WHAT'S ON - WE WON (AGAIN!)!
We were more than a little chuffed to scoop the 'Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity' award again in the recent What's On 4 Junior Awards. Thanks to Sam and the WO4LO team for organising such a fab day, to Konfidence for sponsoring the awards - and of course to all our lovely clients for voting for us, we simply couldn't have done it without you! Massive congratulations to all the finalists and winners, it was lovely to meet so many amazing people.
MAY 2011 - NEW CLASSES IN ...
Northern Ireland - call Amy on 028 91472403 for more information on classes in Belfast and North Down or to book your free taster session, or look at her local page to find out more.
Aberdeen - classes held at the Hilton, call Suzie on 01382 690425 or look at her local page for more details.
PLEASE VOTE FOR US!
Delighted to announce that we're through to the voting stage in this year's What's On 4 Little Ones awards in the category of Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity - so a massive thank you to all our lovely clients who nominated us. We won this award last year and would dearly love to win again, so if you think we've played a part in your little one's development then please, please do vote for us. We're lurking at the bottom of the second category on the voting form - and we can't win without your votes ...! http://www.whatson4littleones.co.uk/awards-voting.asp
AWARDS TIME AGAIN!
It's Awards time again! We're thrilled to be up for an award in the annual Tommy's 'Let's Get Baby Friendly' awards, which reward companies that go out of their way to provide a better experience for babies and mums. We're lurking at the bottom of section 11 'Best Children's Activity Provider' ....
The What's On 4 2011 Junior Awards are also open for nominations. These annual awards reward and recognise the people and companies who provide the best activities for children across the UK - so if you'd like to nominate us or your instructor, we'd be ever so grateful! Nominations close 28th February.
http://www.whatson4littleones.co.uk/awards-nomination.asp
NEW CLASSES - FEBRUARY 2011
There are lots of new classes starting next month:
* Worthing at Oak Grove College. Please call the Hampshire and West Sussex Office on 01794 324 353 or visit their local page for details.
* Crawley, Oxted, Croydon - and free tasters at Brooklands School, Reigate. Phone Michelle on 01293 783 262 or visit her local page to find out more.
* Cannock Hospital, Cannock; and The Laurels, Six Ashes, Stourbridge - phone Heidi or Sue on 01743 491 124 or look at their local page for more info.
* Hackney at Kids Pool, Spring Lane, Clapton - phone 020 8989 4821 or click here for more info.
SNOW
If your class is cancelled due to the current adverse weather conditions, your local office will contact you either by phone, text or email.
WATER BABIES ON FACE BOOK
Since launching it earlier this year, we've been thrilled to welcome more than 4,000 'likers' to our page. Check it out for regular news updates, competitions, journalists requests and lovely comments: www.facebook.com/WaterBabiesUK
NEWQUAY CLASSES
For more information on the classes, give the local office a ring.
WIN Tickets for Earl's Court Baby Show!
Water Babies are going to be at Earl's Court Baby Show in London from 22-24 October and we've got five pairs of tickets to be won! Just visit our Facebook page to find out more.
SEPTEMBER 2010 - NEW CLASSES IN NORTH LONDON!!
Water Babies are starting new classes across North London - phone Carmel or Therese on 0208 349 5239 for more information or to book your place.
BEST NATIONAL BABY & TODDLER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
Thank you so much to all our fab clients who voted for us in the What's On 4 Little One's Awards 2010. For the third year running WE WON 'Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity'. Big congratulations to all the other winners and to Monkey Music, Baby Sensory and Sing and Sign who were the other finalists in our category. Visit our Facebook fan page to see Ali and Angela receiving the award!
WE'RE IN THE FINALS!
A huge thank you to everyone who voted for us in the What's On 4 Little Ones Awards - we're in the finals of the Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity category, which is fantastic. Fingers & toes crossed now until the winners are announced on the 27th June ....
MAY 2010 - YET MORE NEW CLASSES!!
Free taster sessions are running in Coventry for new classes which are starting up this month, and new classes are opening in Bedford - phone 01295 709221 for more info or to book your place.
We're also opening classes in Stratford Upon Avon this month, call Tasha on 01656 862 986 to find our more.
APRIL 2010 - MORE NEW CLASSES!!
Free taster sessions at Maplewood School in High Wycombe on 1st May - phone 01869 325499 for more info or to book your place.
Water Babies are starting in South East London and across Hertfordshire. We're also opening new classes in Yeovil, Shoreham-by-Sea, Chichester, Brentwood, Southend-on-Sea and Stansted - input your postcode on the Pools and Dates page to find your nearest class.
HAITI EARTHQUAKE CHILDREN'S APPEAL
Following the shocking events in Haiti, we've decided to tap into your amazing fundraising abilities and try and raise as much as we can for the relief work being carried out. All monies will go to UNICEF, who've been working for Haiti since 1949, and have sent in teams from around the region.
Nearly half the 9.6 million population in Haiti are children. With 150,000 now proclaimed dead in Port-au-Prince alone, few can imagine what conditions must be like. Many thanks for your continuing generosity and help.
To donate go to:
www.unicef.org.uk/waterbabieshaiti
JANUARY 2010 - NEW CLASSES!!
Water Babies are starting in Truro and across Essex. We're also opening new classes in the Black Country and Evesham. Busy. busy. busy!
To find your nearest class input your postcode on the Pools and Dates page.
YORKSHIRE SCORE HIGHEST STAmark - ever!
So many Water Babies offices have now completed their STAmark quality assurance accreditation with Distinctions that we've stopped writing about every one. However, we must give special mention to North and West Yorkshire. They've just been awarded an astonishing 91% in their STAmark renewal. The highest mark awarded to anyone, ever. Well done guys. We know you'll have been popping the champagne to celebrate!
TAMSIN WINS A UK SILVER AWARD
We're thrilled to announce that Tamsin won Silver in the BFA Franchisee of the Year awards. Given that she was up against massive organisations like 02 and MacDonalds, this is a huge achievement. The judges congratulated Tamsin on her commitment and determination to succeed - something that's always blown us away as well.
TOMMY'S SMASHATHON!
Let's be honest. When we committed to trying to raise £100,000 for Tommy's this year, we were a bit worried we'd overstretched ourselves. So, never did we think that, not only would we achive it but we'd smash through our target and raise a total of £213,552!! Truly remarkable and testament to the immense enthusiasm of all our clients and the Water Babies team.
Our top fundraiser was Lucy Kirkman from Surrey, who, with help from her work, raised an amazing £3218.14. We really hope you and your family enjoy your fabulous First Choice holiday and Splashabout goodies. Our top fundraising team were North East London, who raised an incredible £21,722. A huge well done to all you guys and everyone else.
Having visited one of the clinics we support earlier this year, I know first hand just what a difference our money makes. In a unit that treats parents who've experienced the tragedy of multiple losses, I'll never forget the almost visible joy emanating from all the thank you cards and photos crowding the clinic's walls. We're truly happy to help.
Should you wish to see a video about the work Tommy's carries out, then go to then click here.
THE BABY SHOW
Great to see so many potential new clients at the show last weekend. Big congratulations to Rukayya Miraj from London who won a term of free classes. If we took your details down then we'll be in touch...
SWINE FLU
With the number of swine flu cases continuing to rise, the advice currently being given by the NHS and Health Protection Agency is as follows.
Transmission of the virus is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. The infection can be treated effectively with antiviral medication. Most reported cases in the UK have been mild and people have fully recovered after treatment.
Water Babies classes will continue as normal (the virus is transmitted through the air, not water). However, anyone who has family members showing any symptoms of a flu-like illness should stay away from classes until they are fully recovered. This is to avoid spreading the infection as much as possible. If you have been diagnosed by your GP then wait for their all-clear. If you have self-diagnosed, then wait until all symptoms have cleared.
You can check any symptoms on line at www.nhs.uk or call the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513. Details of other useful websites can be found on our Links section under Help and Support.
General HPA advice for preventing the spread of infection includes
* covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
* disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
* maintaining good basic hygiene - for example, frequently washing hands with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus
* cleaning hard surfaces (such as door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product
If you have any further concerns, please contact your local Water Babies office.
Another Competition Win!
Thanks, again, to all our fabulous clients who took the time to vote for us in the What's On 4 Little One's awards. Of the three main categories, we won the 'Best Baby Development Activity Provider', and we're absolutely thrilled. Especially as competition must have been fierce, with 14,000 on-line voters.
We're also really chuffed that Jo Tolley in Dorset received a 'Highly Commended' for her nomination as 'Outstanding Class Leader'. We know she's amazing, but it's great that now everyone else does too. However, Jo's was just one amongst 34 of our instructors - so a huge well done to every one of you. All equally fantastic and hugely deserving of the recognition.
New Leadership at the Helm
We are thrilled to announce that we have a new Managing Director and a new National Facilities and Training Manager (but that was too long for the home page!)
Steve Franks is already known to most in the leisure industry, having been the Operations Director for the STA for the last five years. Previous to that he spent eighteen years in senior management within the public sector and consultancy. But don't worry, we've already converted him to wearing shorts.
Martyn Hardy is also well known within the industry as a specialist pool management consultant. He'll be on hand for all our lovely health and safety questions and will also be available to all the pools in which we work, helping with any issues that might arise.
Paul and Jess Thompson (founders of Water Babies) are still just as much involved in the business. They just hope to now be able to take the occasional weekend off!
Water Winner!
We were utterly thrilled to win the Tommy's 'Best Children's Activity Provider' Award, announced at a ceremony in London last month. Apparently the votes for Water Babies were 'outstanding' so thank you so much to everyone who voted for us. Our congratulations also go to the other winners who included HiPP Organic, Mamas and Papas, Johnson's Baby, Next and the ELC.
Thanks also to everyone who voted for us in the What's On 4 Little One's Awards. Not only are we finalists in every category, but Jo Tolley (our Dorset franchise) is also a finalist in the 'Outstanding Class Leader' section. A huge well done to her, to the other 33 instructors who were also nominated and to everyone in Water Babies who works so hard to get us this fantastic recognition.
Well done and, again, thank you all!
Water Babies Starting in Ireland
Oh yes, we're very excited: our first international franchise (apart from our classes in Sydney.) Therese and Carol McNally are launching classes there at the end of the month, so do let all your Irish friends know. The Irish web address is: www.waterbabies.ie
Voting for Water Babies Starts in February 2009
Do please vote for us now in two major competitions: whatson4littleones.co.uk/awards.asp and tommys.org/awards. We've been nominated in every category for WO4LO's and 'Best Children's Activity for Tommy's.
Thanks very much for your support.
Water Babies Classes Save Two Children's Lives Summer '08
We've always known that teaching your baby to swim is incredibly important, because you're giving them a core life-saving skill, from birth. Luckily it's now something the rest of the UK knows too!
Within the last ten days, two parents have contacted us, telling us that their two year olds fell into water (the first into a canal, the second into the family pool). In both cases the children were calmly sculling on the water's surface when found, a good few minutes later. It makes us immensely proud that we have helped two families save the lives of their children. So, thanks for doing the right thing and teaching them to swim from birth; and, thanks for letting us know! See links to the right to see the second story which featured across the national press.
Thanks to Everyone Who Voted for Us - Spring '08
Water Babies has been nominated as the UK's best swimming class and was specially commended in the best baby development category. For more information and great ideas of other classes to try look at www.whatson4littleones.co.uk
Water Babies start in Sydney - Jan '08
We might have to be called something slightly different (www.aquababies.com.au), but it's exactly the same course and philosophies. So if you like what we do over here and have any friends over there, do let them know about us!
Another Storming Tommy's Fundraiser - Sept '07
Thank you so, so much to all our wonderful clients who've helped raise an astonishing 87,000 for Tommy's this year.
Our top fundraiser was Hayden Feakin, from Milton Keynes, who raised an incredible 800 (a big thank you to his daddy's work for helping out as well)
Water Babies are invited to Downing Street - April '07
Jess and Paul were thrilled to be invited along to Downing Street in April to meet Gordon and Sarah Brown. The event was hosted by Tommy's in recognition of the fundraising efforts of all its supporters not least so many of you, our fabulously enthusiastic Water Babies clients. We'll keep you posted on the results of our Splashathon efforts this year already looking extremely good!
Do we have an Olympic Champion?! - August '07
Well we always joke that Water Babies isn't about creating the next top class swimmer, but it looks like we might have created one anyway! Ella Stuttard who swam with us for the first three years of her life has just swum one mile in just over a hour. We're still checking to see whether, at just five, she's the youngest person in the world to have achieved such a remarkable feat. A huge well done Ella - we always remember you (and mum Rachel) as one of our very first little swimmers, and we're incrediby proud of you. Have a look at Ella in the Daily Mail piece.
Water Babies in the Press - July '07
It's been a busy time for us recently. Not only were we in the Daily Express recently but also The Guardian (with our very own Kim Bennett subsequently appearing on BBC Breakfast news as well.) Thanks so much to all our babies, parents and instructors who helped get the shots for the Guardian piece. It sounds like you all had a really good time!
Water Babies in Wiltshire Achieve a Distinction - July '07
A huge congratulations to Claire, Steve and the rest of the team for achieving their STAMark with a distinction - despite only starting last April. They were told they were a 'delight to assess' and that they didn't shout about their extraordinary achievements loud enough - so we thought we'd shout for them!
Tommy's - June 2007
It's Splashathon time again! Given that you all did such a storming job of fundraising for them last year, we're very much hoping to repeat it this May and June. Sponsorship forms will be available soon, or you can create your own online sponsorship page so friends and family can sponsor you via the web.
December 2006
Having just cycled 300 miles across India in aid of UNICEF, I know how hard it is raising money. So well done to Lancastrian, Neil Dawkins, and his little girl Nema. Together with some friends they are swimming the equivalent of the channel in their local pool. (Nema's just doing one length I hasten to add!) So far they've raised over 4,000 for their local hospice - a fantastic achievement.
November 2006
Tommy's Splashathon
Even though the money's still trickling in, we've decided it's time to draw a line under our fundraising total, and announce that it's a storming £53,074.26; more than a third of the total £150,000 raised by the 500 companies who took part this year.
Huge congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part. Liverpool in particular were amazing and deserve special praise. With a final total of just over £10,000, they achieved the highest figure raised by any single public or private swim school in the country.
October 2006
Water Babies Boom
It's official, Water Babies is now the UK's largest baby swim school, with over 80 instructors teaching nearly 8,000 babies a week. This is in line with the huge increase in baby swimming that's occuring generally, with 85% more parents taking part now than just two years ago.
