Lucy set off from Shakespeare Beach at 3:47 am on Sunday morning to begin her epic journey to swim solo across the English Channel, one of the first people post COVID-19.
Meet Lucy
Meet Lucy who is swimming the channel on Friday and raising money for us. She lives in Surrey with her husband, son, two cats and Storm the dog (he’s in the pic!!).
She has always loved the water but came to swim seriously, more recently in life. When her son starting swimming lessons as a baby, she decided to qualify as a Swimming Teacher, and to so began her career change.
ETIV has a new face
On March 1st our brazil project (ETIV-do-Brazil) moved into their new property that they are calling the “ETIV Complex” or “Sede ETIV” in Portuguese! This offers the volunteers and staff so much more space including individual and shared apartments for their volunteers. It also includes a beautiful swimming pool that volunteers can use, but that will also serve the community during our SwimTayka programming that includes swimming lessons and drowning prevention for local youth. Meanwhile, our backyard opens up to the Mangrove forest that they are working hard to protect, replant and restore. In addition, they have already begun rebuilding our classroom from the materials we brought over from the old property.
Coronavirus our Programmes
The UK Government has issued an Exceptional travel advisory notice. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) now advises British people against all non-essential travel worldwide.
Coronavirus
Firstly and most importantly, we hope you are safe and well. We want to reach out with a little update on how things stand regarding our programmes in light of Coronavirus restrictions.
We are gutted that we have had to postpone our projects until travel restrictions are lifted but we know it is the right thing to do.
Volunteers from Peru
ANDREA GARCIA GALVEZ (SWIMMING VOLUNTEER)
Andrea, an ex-professional swimmer, is one of our SwimTayka volunteers in Peru. Andrea, since she came to our team, has been the aquatic angel of the children and together with her have learned a lot about drowning prevention techniques and water-strenching styles. Andrea is also a psychologist and that helps us maintain a great balance between sports discipline and respect for water. Good job Andrea!
Chairmans report for 2019
2019 has brought an exciting and challenging year for SwimTayka, and they say the first two years of any organisation is the make or break time. As a Charity, we have made it through the first two years, and this is thanks to our trustees pulling together and working as a strong team.
Trip to Peruvian Sea Institute (IMARPE) in Huanchaco
Our children from SwimTayka Peru visited the Peruvian Sea Institute (IMARPE) in Huanchaco and we talk with a Marine Biologist. The children learned about the types of animals that live in the ocean from the shore to the depths, they were also able to observe dissected animals such as sharks, penguins, swordfish, gulls and a baby dolphin.
Swim Hat and Goggle Amnesty
We are working in partnership with Sea & Stream to save your old swim hats and goggles from landfill. In return for sending your gear to Sea & Stream, you can receive 10% off your next purchase with them.
COWS raising money
What a fabulous group of swimmers at COWS (Cotswold Open Water Swimmers) – a fantastic £600 raised at our Annual Boxing Day Dip and some fabulous fancy dress outfits too. A bit of a drizzly morning but we all turned out – thank you. This will go with the Halloween dip funds of £815 – the total of £1,415 will be split between Wiltshire Air Ambulance and SwimTayka.
A massive thank you to the COWS organisers team to bring this together and to Thameswey Canoe Club for there volunteers on safety cover.
Looking forward to 2020 with you all dipping and swimming accordingly.
