A massive thank you to everyone who took the time to enter our fab 10th birthday competition! We had such a brilliant response and thoroughly enjoyed reading all your memories and anecdotes from the last 10 years.
Our 10 winners have been selected at random and a huge congratulations to the lucky winners. We are sure that you will enjoy reading the winning entries these as much as we did!!
From Kyla and Lilia, a Splasher at The Key Health Club
"Lilia started her swimming lessons at The Key Health Club when she was only 13 weeks old. The very first lesson, she screamed and screamed and screamed! Alex was lovely and reassured me that it takes some babies time to get used to being in the water. I even had an email that week from the Puddle Ducks team to reassure me that I was doing the right thing by taking her back!
Now Lilia is 50 weeks old and absolutely loves being in the water! She is a Splasher and regularly demonstrates (mood permitting) with her teacher and now moans when she’s getting out of the water! Her Puddle Duck toy has even been to Greece with us and the bath mitt joins her in the bath every night."
From Megan, Nathan and Theon, a Kicker at Your Space in Mansfield
"Theon was never the most confident swimmer and he wasn't overly fond of splashing or water. But then we moved swimming venues and met Heather. Theon instantly bonded with her and now he looks forward to going swimming! Everything has been at his own pace - we used to have crying and now we have laughter! Heather even made me feel more relaxed and that’s certainly helped with Theon's swimming experience.
Theon's Daddy is in the army and not home all that often but when he is Daddy goes in the pool and it’s a fantastic bonding experience for them both! Theon looks forward to Daddy coming home and always asks for him to go and see Heather with him which is so lovely! This is one of the reasons why we will continue with Puddle Ducks because of the quality time you get in the pool together. It certainly means a lot to Theon with being a service child and missing out on so much with daddy anyway.
Thank you Puddle Ducks for making our Saturday mornings lots of fun!!"
From Laura, Phoebe, a Little Dipper and Abigail, a Floatie at The Key Health Club
"I owe Puddle Ducks so much - Not only does it teach my children to be independent swimmer but we have also both made some fantastic friends who we now spend lots of time with out of the pool. Happy 10 years!!
From Kathryn and Norah, a Splasher at Your Space in Mansfield
"After being diagnosed with cancer in pregnancy, I have been left with mobility issues which once we are in the water, we look the same as everyone else. 😍 My favourite thing to have happened so far is watching Norah get more confident with the water - she is already kicking, blowing bubbles and dunking her face in!!"
From Stacey and Matilda, a Splasher at The Key Health Club
"Matilda started swimming at The Key Health Club from 2 months old. We travel quite a distance (10 miles) for our lessons because we love the location and the people at The Club.
Matilda absolutely loves being in the water, splashing and socialising with other babies/ toddlers. She isn’t afraid of the water and hardly notices it when water is poured over her head. Her confidence in the water is down to Puddle Ducks. She is now in Splashers and likes to do her own thing rather than what Nikola asks her to do! She can do it but only when she chooses.
I’m confident that she will continue to learn and develop with the support of Puddle Ducks and continue to love her swimming lessons. Thank you Puddle Ducks!"
From Amy and Rosie, a Little Dipper at West Gate School
"Rosie started swimming at West Gate as a Kicker. At the beginning, I very nearly gave up, although she was fine in the water she just would not join in or do any thing. However, one day she started to show her Nanny what she had learned at swimming even though she hadn't done it in her lesson. It showed she was listening so I carried on. Then one day she just did every thing and she absolutely loves it - she is so proud of her badges on her towel.
Even now as a Little Dipper, her teacher Emma has to sometimes remind Rosie that she is taking a lesson and not in a spa 😂 but I know that she is always taking everything in and she just loves to learn. I am so glad that I didn't give up and I am very proud of my Little Dipper."
From Victoria and Thomas, a Kicker at Kirby Muxloe School
"Jayne was my son's first swimming teacher from when he was 12 weeks old and he absolutely loved her. Sadly, we had to move to a different pool when I went back to work but now he is starting in Kickers and Jayne's class will work for us again. I can't wait to see his face when he sees her again!! She is wonderful!"
From Louise and Oscar, in Swim Academy at The Key Health Club
"We also started our Puddle Ducks journey with you 10 years ago! My daughter was just 9 weeks old when we came to the Crowne Plaza to have lessons with Liz and we stayed with Puddle Ducks until just a couple of years ago when she came to the end of the programme. She now is successfully swimming in a club and absolutely loves swimming & being in the water.
We now swim at The Key Health Club with my 4 year old son and he loves it just as much! We still have plenty of time left with Puddle Ducks and it is by far the best ‘activity’ we’ve taken our children to. To have 2 super confident children in the water, who were both independently swimming at 3 years old is brilliant - I never hesitate to recommend Puddle Ducks."
From Helen and Lauren, in Swim Academy at The Portland Centre
"Congratulations to Liz, Phil and the team! I have loads of memories from both sides of the pool - some fond, some involving sick and poo, some frustrating but so many achievements and very proud moments for children and parents with lots of friendships made along the way!"
From Victoria and Katie, in Swim Academy at The Key Health Club
"My daughter, Katie has been swimming with Nikola at The Key Health Club since she was 6 months old and she is now a very confident 5 year old in Swim Academy. Katie loves her swimming and nothing seems to phase her and she just keeps on achieving. I love to watch her but do sort of miss Puddle Ducks as I also loved being in the water with her.
Anyone who asks where we go swimming, I obviously tell them, but it is with an excited voice and I can't stop talking about Katie and how much she loves her swimming. 😊"
Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who took the time to post their memories as we loved reading them all.
We feel very lucky to have been part of so many children's formative years and here's to the next 10 years and lots more lovely Puddle Ducks fun!