A musical mum has taken on a splashing new challenge by bringing Turtle Tots’ award-winning baby swimming classes to pools across North Lancashire for the first time!
This month Fiona Vittery has launched Turtle Tots North Lancashire and is inviting new mums, dads and their babies to come and experience Turtle Tots’ unique baby and toddler swimming lesson programme – a programme, which recently received international recognition by being named amongst the best in family-friendly educational services by the Mom’s Choice Awards.
Fiona first experienced Turtle Tots as a mum three years ago with her daughter, and was hooked from the first lesson. She said: “I was amazed by the difference the classes made to my daughter’s water confidence and the fantastic bonding experience it provided – I was hooked from the start and I knew I wanted to do this as a career.”
Following the birth of Fiona’s son a year later, she decided to train and become a specialist Turtle Tots swimming teacher. Since then she has been teaching with Turtle Tots in Cumbria, and is now excited to be launching her own swim classes in North Lancashire - starting in Preston in May, and Lancaster and Morecambe in June. New classes are also set to launch in other pool locations later in the year.
Fiona explained: “The idea of owning and running my own Turtle Tots business is something that has always appealed to me, and when the opportunity arose in Lancashire - an area where my parents are from and where I spent most of my childhood weekends and holidays - it seemed like the perfect opportunity and I can’t wait.”
Turtle Tots offers fun, safe and structured pre-school swimming lessons for young learners aged from 0 – 3.5 years. The programme focusses on teaching babies and young children how to swim and be water confident in a fun, supportive environment using games, music and sensory play.
Fiona, who is also a trained opera singer, added: “Using songs and nursery rhymes are a fundamental part of the teaching programme; they help calm babies and help them connect and interact. As a musician myself, there will be plenty of opportunities for singing in the lessons, although I’m not sure it will Handel or Mozart!”
On the importance of baby swimming, Fiona said: “As a parent, I know how important it is to teach your child how to swim and to be water confident. I did a lot of research into baby swimming before I started lessons with my daughter, and while there were many options to choose from where I used to live, I was drawn to Turtle Tots because their ethos and approach to swimming was much more child-focused. Now, as a teacher I can also vouch for the fact that as a company we continue to listen and respond to the latest research in the field, and hold the highest standards in teaching.”
“I can’t wait to start sharing my experience, and my passion with new little turtles all around North Lancashire and helping them on the start of their swimming journey.”
With charity being an important part of the Turtle Tots ethos, one percent of the swim school’s turnover will also be given to The North West Air Ambulance Air Ambulance. “This is a charity that provides a vital lifesaving service in our area. This resonates with our own business of saving lives through the teaching of swimming and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be able to support such an important local charity,” confirmed Fiona.
Dan Allen, Managing Director at Turtle Tots, said: “With Fiona at the helm, it’s fantastic to see Turtle Tots classes start in North Lancashire – our swim classes really give mums and dads the opportunity to bond and share a wonderful experience with their little ones. Plus there are many benefits; swimming is proven to help babies develop physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. It also encourages healthy growth and helps with the development of strength, co-ordination and balance, all while equipping them with key safety and safe hold skills in the water.”
Turtle Tots is also the first UK swim school to be internationally honoured with a prestigious Mom’s Choice Award for its teaching programmes. This follows Turtle Tots Baby Swimming Programme being rigorously evaluated by a panel of independent MCA evaluators, who deemed the unique educational programme to be among the best for families.
For details of all the Turtle Tots swimming classes coming to North Lancashire, please email northlancashire@turtletots.com, visit www.turtletots.com/northlancashire or go to Facebook @turtletotsnorthlancashire
Plans are also in place for Turtle Tums to start in the autumn – a pre-natal and post-natal fitness programme which is endorsed by Professor Greg Whyte OBE.