A 13-year-old girl from Byfleet, Surrey, is set to participate in the Junior Great South Run to raise vital funds for her older brother’s swimming charity. As reported by BBC Surrey, Lily has already raised more than £2,000 through her online fundraiser in anticipation of the event on 17 October.
The charity, SEN UK Swimming, was founded by her 21-year-old brother, Troy. It focuses on training swimming teachers to better support children with special educational needs (SEND) across England.
Lily’s Great South Run Charity Effort
Troy told the BBC that he was inspired to create the charity by his sister, who has Down’s syndrome. He observed Lily “struggle a lot with learning to swim and finding a swimming teacher that understood her needs.” Lily faced difficulties learning to swim until she was 11, at which point Troy trained as a swimming teacher to personally assist her. This experience led him to establish specific swimming classes in Surrey for children and young people with special educational needs, eventually evolving into SEN UK Swimming.
The idea for Lily to take on the Junior Great South Run emerged when she “strolled into my room with her piggy bank in hand,” wishing to make a donation. Troy encouraged her to consider other ways of fundraising. He noted that Lily has “always loved the water” but previously “wasn’t getting the right support” to develop her swimming skills.
Tackling Barriers in SEND Swimming Education
SEN UK Swimming addresses a significant challenge in aquatic education. A report by Troy’s charity, in conjunction with the Swimming Teachers’ Association, highlighted that access to learning to swim for children with SEND is “often determined not by a family’s willingness to participate, but by whether suitable opportunities exist that meet their child’s individual needs.”
The study also revealed instances where swimming teachers felt compelled to turn away children because they did not feel adequately equipped to support them. Troy explained that while “swim schools would try their best,” teachers frequently “wouldn’t quite understand that child,” leading to many children with special educational needs not learning to swim. The charity’s work is crucial in bridging this gap by equipping teachers with the necessary skills nationwide.
Supporting UK Sports and Community Endeavours
This initiative by Lily and Troy highlights the ongoing efforts within the UK to ensure inclusive access to sports and essential life skills like swimming. Such community-driven fundraising events, much like larger spectacles such as the Commonwealth Games, play a vital role in supporting charitable causes and fostering participation across all abilities.
