The Downham Market Otters Swimming Club

This one-on-one swimming club are looking for volunteers

The "Otters" was founded in 1989 with the objective of providing an opportunity for disabled people to exercise in the warm waters of the Downham pool and at the same time to meet people and to enjoy themselves. The longevity of the club is testament to the success of this concept and as with all clubs there is a need to attract new people into the swim. I myself am disabled and have been a regular swimmer for over a year now and feel quite smug that I can swim a length of the pool, which is farther than I can walk! I could not have done this without the help and encouragement of our able-bodied helpers. The helpers' task is to support the swimmer in the water as we go through exercises, which are based on the Halliwick Method, designed to properly articulate and strengthen the limbs and to give confidence to the swimmer. These exercises are used extensively for the treatment and rehabilitation of people recovering from numerous mishaps or operations. The helpers are all familiar with the Halliwick technique and we always operate a one on one regime such that no swimmer is left unattended.

What we need are more helpers of all ages. There seems to be no shortage of swimmers needing help from the club, but we cannot offer help in the water if there are no able-bodied helpers in attendance.

We swim at the new Downham Market pool on Tuesdays between 2.30pm and 3.30pm in our own private session. If you like to swim and would also like to offer active help to local people suffering from disabilities then please contact me or any of the committee members listed below. We would love to hear from you and send out an open invitation to come along to the pool on any Tuesday afternoon and see what goes on and what fun we have.

Contact names and numbers: Gerald Jackson 01366 385984, Pierre Guerin 01842 828341 or Edna Thompson 01366 382622.

Cliff Gardner