SwimTayka started with a simple question.

How could children grow up surrounded by water without ever being taught how to survive in it?

How could children grow up surrounded by water without ever being taught how to survive in it?

Drowning Prevention in the UK and Worldwide

While spending time in waterside communities, we saw something that was difficult to ignore. Children were growing up beside oceans, rivers and lakes, yet many had never had the opportunity to learn how to swim or what to do if they got into difficulty.

In Huanchaco, Peru, the gap became especially clear. Children lived close to the Pacific Ocean, but formal swimming and water-safety education were out of reach for many families.

That experience became the starting point for SwimTayka. In 2017, the charity was created to work with local communities and organisations so children could learn practical swimming, survival and water-safety skills.

The first project helped children in Huanchaco build water confidence, swimming ability and drowning-prevention skills. It also showed us that lasting progress meant training local people, so the knowledge and skills could stay within the community.

What began in Peru has since grown into drowning-prevention work supporting children in multiple communities around the world, delivered with local partners and supported by volunteers, donors and fundraisers.

The Name 'SwimTayka'

Our name reflects our global mission, with children at the heart. ‘Tayka’ translates to ‘mother’ in an indigenous Peruvian language. Just as a mother protects and nurtures, SwimTayka was founded to provide a foundation of safety for children across the globe.

From One Project to a Global Network

As the charity grew beyond its first project, our approach developed too. We work with local organisations to identify where children face a real drowning risk, support practical programmes and train local instructors. This helps water-safety knowledge remain in each community rather than depending on international volunteers alone.

Drowning Prevention in the UK and Worldwide

Where We Are Today

We have evolved from a small volunteer group into a professional charity, fuelled by a global community of swimmers, donors, and corporate partners who believe that no child should drown simply because they weren’t taught how to swim.

Through grant-giving and matching volunteers with grassroots programmes, we are turning the tide on the world’s drowning statistics.

And we raise our funds through:

• Generous fundraising – particularly our fantastic teams of English Channel relay swimmers

• Corporate partnerships

• Donations

• Grants from other like-minded organisations, such as the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation

Our Board of Trustees

Meet the people who guide SwimTayka’s mission. Select or hover over a portrait to learn more about each trustee.

Alice Bunn

Dr Alice Bunn is International Director at the UK Space Agency, where she leads work on international partnerships, skills and the resilience of space infrastructure. She heads the UK delegation to the European Space Agency, sits on the US Space Foundation’s board and co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s council on space technology. A Fellow and Council member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Alice holds a PhD in Metallurgy from the University of Cambridge.

Alice Bunn

Chair Person

Mark Scott (Scotty)

Mark Scott (Scotty) serves as SwimTayka’s Vice Chair, helping the board guide the charity’s work and long-term direction. He supports the team’s focus on delivering practical, high-quality swimming and water safety education for children in underserved communities.

Mark Scott (Scotty)

Vice Chair

Bryan Avery

Ultra-marathon swimmer Bryan Avery founded SwimTayka after seeing how many children in coastal communities lacked swimming lessons and faced a high risk of drowning. The charity’s first project in Huanchaco, Peru, built children’s water confidence, swimming ability and drowning prevention skills. Bryan’s endurance swims include the English Channel, Manhattan Island, Catalina Channel, Koh Tao and Lake Titicaca. He now channels his love of swimming into helping others gain a potentially life-saving skill.

Bryan Avery

Charity Secretary

Rachel Cobley

Rachel Cobley is a salon owner, business mentor and long-distance open-water swimmer with more than 25 years’ experience in the beauty industry. After completing an English Channel relay to raise funds for SwimTayka in 2023, she volunteered in Peru to help deliver swimming and water safety lessons. Seeing the charity’s impact first-hand strengthened her commitment to its mission. As a trustee, Rachel brings business experience, fundraising skills, creativity and a passion for expanding access to life-saving swimming education.

Rachel Cobley

Trustee

Neil Rushton

Dr Neil Rushton is a practising GP and lifelong swimmer who understands the physical and mental health benefits of the water. He is also a trustee of Wiveliscombe’s community-run outdoor pool and teaches University of Exeter students about swimming, mental health and cold-water immersion. His open-water achievements include an English Channel relay, the Thames Marathon, Hellespont, Scilly, Busselton Pier and the Dart 10k. Neil supports SwimTayka so more people can learn this life-saving skill.

Neil Rushton

Trustee

Headshot coming soon

Louise Doe

Louise Doe brings experience in swimming, disability inclusion and charity work to SwimTayka. During 14 years in the United States, she supported families through Autism Delaware and helped swimming teachers adapt lessons for autistic children. She later worked and volunteered with Special Olympics, delivering inclusive swimming programmes. Now back in the UK, Louise teaches swimmers of varied ages and abilities, volunteers with a disability swimming group and continues her work with Special Olympics Great Britain. A qualified swimming teacher and keen open-water swimmer, she is passionate about making water safety accessible, safe and enjoyable for every child.

Louise Doe

Trustee

Headshot coming soon

Gemma Dobson

Biography coming soon.

Gemma Dobson

Trustee

Our Partners and Supporters

Our work is made possible through a powerful network of global partners and dedicated supporters who share our vision of a drowning free world.

We are proud to align with world-leading aquatic and safety organisations, including Swim England, to maintain the highest standards of water safety education.

Our mission is further fuelled by the incredible energy of our fundraisers and the generosity of corporate sponsors who provide the vital resources required to further our drowning prevention mission across the world, including the UK.