A swimming club for disabled people will be celebrating its 45-year anniversary with an award ceremony.

At 12.30 on Saturday, September 10, Oxford Swans Swimming Club for Disabled People will be hosting an awards evening at the North Oxford Association building, next to the Ferry Centre swimming pool on Summertown.

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor James Fry, will present the awards to disabled swimmers to mark the progress they have made in the pool.

The event will also be a celebration of the club’s 45-year anniversary.

The club began in 1977 when a small group of people got together and decided a swimming club for disabled people should be started in Oxford.

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The first sessions of Oxford Swans were held in the pool at the Ormerod Special School, but it was soon realised that a bigger pool was needed, and the club moved to Ferry Pool in Summertown, Oxford, with the support of Oxford City Council.

The club is run entirely by volunteers and teaches using the Halliwick Concept, where swimmers are taught on a one-to-one basis until they are competent and don’t need a helper.

Games and activities are used in teaching to help swimmers learn in an enjoyable manner.

Covid disrupted the club’s activities, but social sessions, online, with singing led by ‘Singalong’ were held during that time.

Sessions are now being held again, and an Oxford Swan’s spokesperson said: “Hopefully the Oxford Swans can look forward to its 50-year celebration and beyond.”

For more information, visit: https://oxfordswans.com

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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