Water Babies, Ireland’s leading baby and toddler swim school, is launching a nationwide search to find Ireland’s most inspiring young swimmers, as part of its new Little Heroes Awards. Water Babies is hoping to uncover unsung heroes with incredible accomplishments when it comes to water, be it swimming, surfing, diving or even sailing. After all, none of these water sports would be possible without being able to swim!
Water Babies are looking for amazing water-related stories, so they can award worthy Water Babies Little Heroes winners. Perhaps you know a little one who saved themselves or another child who got into trouble in the water. Has swimming helped your child through health or medical issues? Maybe your child can swim an impressive distance at a young age, or are they the youngest on their club team? Have they raised loads of money for a charity in a sponsored water-sports event? Whatever your remarkable swimming or water-related story may be, we want to hear from you.
Previous Little Heroes winners from the UK included a four-year-old who overcame the water wobbles to swim 100m for charity, a three-year-old who saved himself when he fell into the canal and a three-year-old who has cerebral palsy and cannot walk but can swim!
To nominate a child for a Little Heroes award, simply email your story to bubba@waterbabies.ie before Friday, 5th February. Winners will be announced in February and will receive a Little Heroes Award statuette and fabulous prize bundles from STABILO, leading manufacturer of colouring and writing pens and pencils and from EIRE KIDS suppliers of gorgeous gifts and souvenirs for children.
Paul Thompson, co-founder of Water Babies, says: “We love hearing about all the spectacular swimmers out there and the inspiring tales they have to tell. The idea of the Little Heroes awards is to reward them and to raise awareness for the importance of children learning to swim at as early an age as possible. Our research showed that the average age children start swimming lessons is four years old and 40% of children haven’t had a lesson by the age of 12, when swimming lessons can actually can take place from birth. In fact, over the last few years a dozen of our pupils have actually saved themselves from drowning, some of whom were just two years old!”
Water Babies classes are available across Ireland. To find your nearest class, visit www.waterbabies.ie