A SWIMMING teacher is still teaching children how to swim even though pools are closed.

Andrea Douglas, from Bicester, has taught hundreds of children and parents how to swim through her swimming class business, Aquatherapy.

She set it up in 2005 but has had to get creative with the way she teaches the skill during lockdown.

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Her classes for babies are now taught from a bath and she is still able to focus on stroke technique and stamina for older children and adults by doing 'land practices'.

The teacher says it is important for children to keep practicing during lockdown otherwise they will forget what they have already learnt.

She said: "Parents invest so much time and money into lessons for their children to give them life saving skills which will eventually last a life time and keep them safe around water, that it is vital to keep up practices to maintain skills already learnt and to improve technique.

"My worry is that due to Covid-19 we don’t know how long we will be out of the water for and all that time and effect and dedication to teaching all ages will be lost."

Mrs Douglas is running Zoom classes for her current clients and she says it is proving to be successful.

She has programmes for people from of all levels from Aquababes to Aquakids to AquaAdults.

Her classes called, 'Class in a Bath' allow babies to practice in the bath and classes for others are called ‘Fish out of Water’.

She added: "Some clients were a bit hesitant to start with thinking that either it wouldn’t work or didn’t think their child would like it.

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"However, once they gave it a go they could see and understand what fun it is and the importance of keeping up those practices."

In the Aquababes ‘Class in a Bath’, basic skills can be achieved such as water confidence, alignment, basic breath control, balance, rotation, buoyancy/floatation and leg and arm action.

In the ‘Fish out of Water’ classes, she focuses on alignment, stroke technique, breath control, stamina and balance.

Mrs Douglas is holding six-week courses from June with the use of Zoom where people can do up to 2-3 sessions a week.

She said: "These classes are for anyone to join, if you usually swim with another company but they are unable to do classes like this for whatever reason then please contact me.

"You can always go back to your local swim company once they reopen and you will have lost nothing and maintained skills you have already learnt and improved your technique ready for the water."

For more information about Mrs Douglas' classes, go to www.aquatherapy.org.uk.