Do We Get Nervous When Opening a New Pool?

The answer is simple: yes, we do!

Even after all these years, and with more than 1,300 children swimming with us every week, opening a new pool still brings those familiar butterflies.

Monday 8th September we’re opening our sixth pool at Grove Vale Primary School in Birmingham. And while we’ve done it before – the planning, the training, the logistics – we still feel as if it’s our very first time. Because, in many ways, it is.

Every new pool is a fresh start. It’s a new community to meet, a new set of families to welcome, and a brand-new environment to bring to life with the laughter and splashes of our swimmers.

We often stop and think: what would Mom, Sue, say if she was here to see this? After all, it’s her name above the door and her passion for swimming that started everything we do today. We hope she’d be proud, and we like to think she’d be right there at the poolside, smiling at the sight of so many children learning to love the water.

Of course, there’s always that little voice of hope too, that what we bring will be welcomed, appreciated, and valued by the community. Because, at the heart of it all, we’re not just teaching swimming, we’re helping to build confidence, independence, and memories that last a lifetime.

So yes, we get nervous. But those nerves remind us how much we care.

We can’t wait to see Grove Vale filled with swimmers and families this September – and to take this next step in our journey together.