Introducing our Global Brand Ambassador, Olympic Marathon Swimmer, Alice Dearing

Alice Dearing is a British swimmer who specialises in open water events. She is one of the top marathon swimmers in Britain and the World, and was the first black woman to represent Team GB at a swimming event at the Olympics. 

She is now in training and hopes to compete at the Paris Olympics in 2024, but still finds time to inspire others into the pool, both through her work as co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, and now in her role as global ambassador for Water Babies.

Alice shares our beliefs that swimming is for everyone and is passionate about raising awareness about the benefits that swimming can bring to early years, and how this can have a positive impact in later life (and not just in the pool).

Christmas

• Alice Worked on our Christmas campaign, to encourage families to give a gift for life to children through swimming lessons. Also included raising awareness of our gift vouchers, a great Christmas present for little ones.

Swim, Eat, Sleep, Repeat

• Worked alongside BEAR Snacks and Sweet Dreamers on our Swim, Eat, Sleep, Repeat campaign on the importance of healthy eating to support physical development.

Splashathon

• Alice took part in our bi-annual charity fundraising event, Splashathon, where Water Babies customers and employees raise money for Tommy’s and Childrens Alliance.

Children's Alliance is The Water Babies charitable foundation, aiming to give children the best start in life. Making a difference in the first five years of children's lives is vital. Its work aims to champion the importance of our children and inspire the potential of the next generation, through policy campaigning and community initiatives. 

Tommy’s is the leading pregnancy charity that exists to stop the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and make pregnancy and birth safe – for everyone.

Working across the whole pregnancy journey – translating their research breakthroughs into new tests and treatments in clinical care, changing national maternity policy and providing expert information and support. 

1 in 13 babies born in the UK are premature – that’s 6 babies every hour. But there’s so much we can do to prevent it.

That's why they're opening the first ever Tommy's National Centre for Preterm Birth Research dedicated to finding the causes and treatments which save babies’ lives.

Drowning Prevention Week

• Supported Drowning Prevention Week, and helped raise awareness on enjoying the water safely this summer. Alice will continue doing this throughout the summer months, to ensure all families understand the importance of water safety, whether they’re in a swimming pool, at the beach, or using a paddling pool in the garden.

Swimming To Success

• In July, we ran special ‘Swimming to Success’ lessons, where little ones will took part in fun swimming challenges to get them excited for a summer of sport.

Annual franchise conference

• Alice attended our national franchise conference, where she had the opportunity to meet Water Babies franchisees from across the world. She also took part in a panel discussion, where she talked through her swimming journey and how she stays resilient as an athlete.

Physical benefits of baby swimming

• Helped to raise awareness of the physical benefits of baby swimming, and the importance of swimming through winter.

Children’s Alliance

• Raised awareness of the Water Babies charity, Children’s Alliance, to share the work the charity is doing to help give children better starts and brighter futures.

Retail

• Alice has supported us with some exciting product launches over the past year, including the Swimvincible towel and bag.

Oceans of Imagination

• Alice has supported exciting developments within our Aquatics programme at Water Babies. Especially with new initiatives such as the launch of our Water Babies Treasures on ‘My Water Babies’, where customers can track and see what badges they’ll be collecting in their swimming journey with us, alongside stickers and certificates achieved for amazing progress in lessons.

“I started swimming at lessons with my brother when we were very young. I had no idea that I would go on to compete and represent Great Britain, I just knew that I loved swimming lessons! That early introduction gave me confidence in the water, and taught me how to be safe and start swimming.  

Having learned the  foundations of swimming so young, by the time I was 8 I started competitive swimming. I never thought I would get to the Olympics, and I didn’t aim for it particularly, I just looked to the next stage and kept moving up through the competitions, so when my chance came to compete for Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics I took it, and I’m really hoping to show what I can do at the Paris Olympics in 2024.  

I think about what young me at swimming lessons would have thought if someone had told me I would one day have the chance to go to the Olympics, and it makes me quite emotional! I wouldn’t have believed it, but I’m so grateful to my family for taking me swimming, and for the teachers and coaches that helped me reach my potential.  

That’s why I wanted to partner with Water Babies. It’s so important that everyone gets the chance to learn how to swim from a young age. It could save their life one day! I love to see babies and toddlers laughing and splashing in the water and learning those important water skills in a fun and supportive environment. As Water Babies is the world’s largest baby swimming school it was a natural fit for me, and our values align so well - we both want to inspire people to get into the water and enjoy the benefits of swimming.  

Today’s Water Babies could be taking my place at the Olympics in 20 years!”