Our Teachers

Helen Hudson

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
For me, swimming is a life skill and I love the Swimbabes approach.  It’s so rewarding to see the fun and enjoyment on each child’s face as they grow in confidence from their first swim to becoming an independent swimmer jumping in and racing across the pool.  It’s rewarding to be part of helping children learn how to have fun in the water and stay fit and healthy.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since Feb 2019.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
Dive sticks – my boys had hours of fun with their dive sticks on family holidays.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: too many to choose from – but anything I can have a good dance and sing to.
Film: one that’s entertaining, has a good story & gives me something to think about once it’s over
Food: I love my food so will settle for anything that’s chocolatey, vegan or is packed with carbs!!

Tilly Marsh

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Seeing the children have fun and enjoying being in the water, whilst gaining confidence and learning new skills.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
2018

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
splash about happy nappy as they come in lots of colours and patterns!

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Too many to choose
Film: The Notebook
Food: Anything sweet!

Sarah Poole

Currently on Maternity leave until 2020

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
I love to see the children and babies enjoying the water. It’s fantastic to see their confidence and abilities develop

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
2018.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?

Personally and for those kids that chose to wear them – a good fitting pair of goggles, there is nothing worse in the pool than swimming with half the pool water in there.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: oh, such a hard question so many good songs. I’ll go with the one that’s on repeat in our house at the moment as my daughter loves it. Shotgun by George Ezra
Film: I’m not sure I have a favourite but my go to film would be one of the hunger games movies
Food: Chocolate

George Molloy

George set up Swimbabes with his wife Laura in 2003. Swimbabes teach more than 1,700 babies to swim each week.

“Swimming is an essential life skill. In 2009, ROSPA confirmed there were 405 water-related accidents in the UK. This is a staggering number when you consider that swimming is part of the National Curriculum. Knowing how to swim can save your life but the other benefits are clear too; it aids physical, social and emotional development for babies and parents alike.”

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Even though I have been teaching babies to swim since 2003, I still get such a buzz seeing babies become great little swimmers as they progress through our swim program. As well as being qualified to teach Swimbabes classes, I am qualified to teach our Swimstars program for older children. I feel it so important to be able to teach skills that promote water confidence and water safety whilst having fun at the same time. Being able to teach these invaluable skills is so rewarding and worthwhile.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since 2003.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
Teddy Bear Float

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley
Film: The Untouchables
Food: All puddings!

Laura Molloy

14 years ago, Laura set up Swimbabes – a company dedicated to helping babies swim. Now, Swimbabes offer baby swimming lessons in 17 venues in the North of England, employs 22 staff and has around 1800 happy little swimmers attending sessions each week. Laura’s positive experiences taking her son Joshua to baby swimming lessons in Manchester, prompted her to set up Swimbabes in 2003 with one of her first baby swimmers being her 5 week old daughter Eve.

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
I always enjoy how surprised parents are by how much their little ones can achieve in the water at such a young age!

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since October 2003.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
The Happy Nappy – it does an essential job and I think it looks really smart on our little swimmers.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Everybody’s Free by Baz Luhrmann.
Film: I can’t choose just one!
Food: That’s easy – Hula Hoops

Becci Wilkinson

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
I love to see my little swimmers progress through the levels and become confident, independent swimmers. My son and daughter have gone through our programme and are fantastic little swimmer’s! The satisfaction I get knowing I am teaching a life skill is so rewarding.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since 2008, and I still love every minute of it!

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
It has to be the Happy Nappy as they come in so many colours and serve a great purpose.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Any Robbie Williams song – I have seen Robbie Williams over 42 times and plan on seeing him as often as possible!
Film: A Star Is Born
Food: Chinese

Karen Jones

What do you enjoy about teaching swimming?
Although I maybe one of the oldest teachers (though I don’t look a day over 35!), I still have still plenty of new, fresh ideas and plans. Babies and their parents are so individual and each child progresses at their own rate, which is what makes this job so challenging.

When did you start teaching swimming?
2007

What’s your favourite swimming product?
Seal sticks – great fun at many levels!

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: The Wheels on the Bus!
Film: The Little Mermaid
Food: Fish finger sandwich with white bread & ketchup.

Stevie Griffin

What do you enjoy about teaching baby swimming?
I love seeing parents and children having fun together in the water. It’s also really rewarding to watch the children develop through the programme into confident swimmers with an important life skill.

When did you start teaching swimming?
2014.

What’s your favourite swimming product?
The Woggles, because they help children develop confidence and independence in the water. They’re also great to use in all sorts of fun games.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Not the Only One by Sam Smith
Film: Top Gun
Food: Italian

Rachel Taylor

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
I love to see the children start so young and progress through the programme; it’s a great feeling when a child graduates.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since 2007.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
Splash About Pink Baby Wrap

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Too many songs to choose from!
Film: Any film with a happy ending.
Food: Pizza

Kerry Pilmer

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
It’s a fun, exciting job and it’s nice to see babies develop their swimming skills over each term.

How long have you worked for Swimbabes?  
Since 2013.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
Zoggs Zoggy Dive Sticks.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Rule The World by Take That
Film:  Elf
Food: Spaghetti Bolognese

Katie Saunders

What do you enjoy about teaching swimming?
Seeing the progression the children make in our classes and the enjoyment they get out of them – it’s so rewarding!

When did you start teaching swimming?
since 2012

What’s your favourite swimming product?  
Woggles, as they can be used by all ages and abilities.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Human by The Killers
Film: Coyote Ugly
Food: Pasta

When I’m not teaching or in the office, I love spending time outdoors with my family, especially in the warmer weather; water skiing and wake boarding!

Fiona Mellor

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Being able to watch children develop their confidence and water skills, it’s also lovely being part of those special moments where you see how proud parents are of their little swimmer and the wonderful progress they are making.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since 2010, after having my son and wanting a career change in order to spend more time together as a family.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
My ‘Choo Choo’ Tubes – these really help the swimmers to become more independent on the Woggles, and it’s great fun making loads of train noises!

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Any song by Example.
Film: A Christmas Carol, but it must be the Patrick Stewart version!
Food: Tapas.

Fun Fact: I was recently lucky enough to take part in the live art installation ‘The Sea of Hull’ by Spencer Tunick which was great fun!

Alex Oldfield

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Having fun, and seeing children progress and enjoying the lessons.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since 2011.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?
Woggles, which are versatile flotation aid that children don’t become reliant on.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Waggy by Blink 182
Film: Sci-fi classic Aliens
Food: The three C’s – chocolate. chips and cheese – all together!

Becky Hughes

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Seeing the change in children – from being babies in the pool with their Mums & Dads, to confident, independent swimmers.

How long have you worked with Swimbabes?
Since May 2015.

What’s your favourite baby swimming product?.
Dive Sticks

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Factory Girl by The Rolling Stones
Film: Chasing Mavericks
Food: Mexican

What do you do in your spare time?
I love the sea and surfing, so when I’m not in the pool I take every opportunity to head to the coast, searching for waves.

Helen Fraser

What do you enjoy about teaching babies to swim?
Watching the parent see their child managing something new for the first time. For example – if they are a baby, their first underwater swim on their own, or if they are a little older, the first time they manage to swim across the pool all by themselves. I also enjoy it when the entire class collapses into fits of laughter from one of our fun activities.

How long have you worked for Swimbabes?
Since 2016.

What is your favourite baby swimming product?
The Happy Nappy, because I love the different ranges, colours and flags they come in. They provide everyone with confidence that there will be no accidental mishaps.

Whats your favourite film, song, and food?
Film: I could never choose just one, but mostly 1980’s comedies.
Song: Shine by Years & Years.
Food: I’m a sucker for a good curry, preferably with a monster garlic naan bread!

Jacqui Mallinson

What do you enjoy about teaching swimming?
Watching the children grow in their ability and confidence.

When did you start teaching swimming?
2013

What’s your favourite swimming product?
The Woggle – great for all ages and abilities.

What’s your favourite song, film and food?
Song: Voulez Vous by Abba for dancing, River Deep, Mountain High for singing in the car, and Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones for rocking!
Film: Anything with Johnny Depp in.
Food: Pies/tarts – all!