The plight of injured soldiers has inspired two young water babies to raise money for a Welsh convalescent home by doing a sponsored swim at Swansea’s Wales National Pool.
Three-year-old Ryan John from Carmel and his four year-old swimming pal Oliver David Shopland from Crynant are taking to the water to raise money for the Golden Grove Mansion Appeal that aims to restore the mansion for use as the first Welsh convalescent home and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment centre.
The pair have both been swimming since they were just weeks old. Ryan’s mum Jacky said it was down to getting him used to the water as early as possible.
She said: “We started water babies sessions when he was just a few months old and he’s now going on Tuesday evenings at the Wales National Pool as well as having a private lesson there on Sundays.”
Jacky said Ryan became interested when he heard his Mum and a friend talking about the mansion which is close to his home.
“He said: Are we going to buy beds for the soldiers to make them better? Because he swims anyway I asked if he’d like to do a sponsored swim and he was keen. Now Oliver, who swims with Ryan on a Tuesday evening at the Wales National Pool, is taking part as well.”
Oliver is no stranger to sponsored swimming, having taken part in one when he was just eight-months-old to raise funds for equipment at his crèche.
Mum Janette said he hasn’t looked back.
She said: “We used to go to water babies sessions and then moved onto taking classes at the National Pool because we were impressed with the facilities there.
“He goes to classes on a Tuesday afternoon and does some of the intensive holiday time courses. Us mums have become friends over the years through the boys and their swimming.”
The pair’s sponsored swim will take place on May 30 at the Wales National Pool starting at 11am. Jacky said that because they are so young they are going to try and make the event as fun as possible.
She said: “They’ll probably do some unaided widths and they might do the length with their froggy floats as well as some activities such as putting balls through hoops.”
There are collection buckets and sponsor forms for the boys available at the Wales National Pool.
To find out more about the Golden Grove Mansion Appealy log onto http://www.goldengroveappeal.com/
