Aylesbury mum marks over a decade of teaching little ones to swim
Swim teacher Nicola Dawkins is proudly celebrating over 10 years of nurturing water confidence in the little ones of Aylesbury. With such a milestone serving as an opportune moment for reflection, she has been fondly recalling the humble beginnings of her career in the water, especially with one of her earliest families – the Bakers – whom she continues to teach to this day.
Nicola – known as Nic by her friends and family – lives with her partner and their two teenage boys in Aylesbury. Nic swapped a hectic 17-year-long career as an electrician to live out her lifelong dream of teaching little ones how to swim. That was over 10 years ago, and she has not looked back since.
“Changing lanes from electrician to swimming teacher was quite a career swap, but looking back over the past 12 years, it’s been nothing short of rewarding,” said Nic. “Being able to impart invaluable water skills to countless families throughout the years has truly been an incredible privilege. I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to support and develop my amazing little swimmers – so many of whom are now all grown up!”
Since diving into her role at Water Babies in 2012, Nic has been making waves by teaching hundreds of families each week at Booker Park School, Children’s Neuro Centre and Nuffield Health Centre in Aylesbury. Among these families is the Baker family, consisting of parents Lianne and Peter, their two sons, eight-year-old Willoughby and seven-year-old Flynn, and nine-month-old daughter Dilly.
“We’ve been so lucky to have Nic teach all three of our kids,” said Lianne. “She’s great with them, super calm and keeps the lessons consistent, which the kids really appreciate. There are no surprises. Nic is just so friendly and easy to connect with. It feels like family. Having the same teacher feels comforting and familiar. It’s nice for us too, knowing our kids are in good hands. Seeing Nic watch our kids grow up, from tiny babies to now heading off to school, is really special.”
Although their two eldest have now outgrown Water Babies, the arrival of Dilly last year has given Lianne and her family the opportunity to experience Nic’s Water Babies lessons once more. “We were thrilled to go back to Water Babies after all these years because we had such a fantastic experience with the boys, seeing their confidence develop in the water,” explained Lianne. “It’s incredible that both Water Babies and Nic have been constants in all our children’s lives, allowing us to relive the experience once more with Dilly.
“Swimming is really important to us a family. Whenever we go on holiday, there’s always some time spent around a pool or the sea. We were eager for Dilly to have swimming lessons too, so she could join in safely with her brothers, and she absolutely loves it. It’s such a lovely bonding experience for us. We cherish the time spent together.”
While Willoughby and Flynn have moved on from Water Babies classes, Nic’s influence in the water extends beyond just teaching babies. Now, she is giving Willoughby further lessons at Nuffield Health Centre.
“It was wonderful when we spotted Nic at Nuffield and realised that Willoughby and Flynn would have her as their instructor once again,” said Lianne. “She remembers all the kids she’s taught and truly cares about them. She’s always interested in their progress. Willoughby is now working on his Level 5 with Nic, while Flynn is doing his Level 3 with another teacher. They both absolutely love it, and I think it’s all thanks to their first lessons with Nic when they were little.”
For Nic, hearing stories from families like the Bakers fills her with pride, knowing that she has made a significant impact over the past 10 years by imparting valuable water skills to the babies of Aylesbury. “As I look back on the past decade of teaching, I’m just overwhelmed with gratitude for families like the Bakers, who’ve let me be a part of their swim stories,” said Nic. “Watching these kids grow and thrive in the water has been an absolute joy. I’m excited to keep making waves with more little swimmers in the years ahead!”
For more information about Water Babies Bucks & Beds, visit: www.waterbabies.co.uk/lp/baby-swimming/bucks-and-beds