KEEPING it in the family is one way a Northwich-based swim school is inspiring future generations in the pool.
There are a total of 15 family members in the team at Puddle Ducks, with seven parents and their children teaching people to swim across Mid-Cheshire.
Having recently opened their flagship pool in Barons Quay, a number of the team’s children, all of whom learnt to swim at Puddle Ducks, have joined the team too.
Ali Beckman, headteacher at Puddle Ducks with her son Ethan
Founders of Puddle Ducks, Jo Stone and Tracy Townsend established the business after meeting at swimming lessons with their baby daughters.
Following in their mother’s footsteps, Jo and Tracy’s daughters have started working at the swim school as teachers. Tracy’s daughter Martha teaches swim academy lessons at Everlast in Macclesfield, and Jo’s daughter is working at Barons Quay as a poolside assistant, pool operator and administrator in her gap year before jetting off to university to study medicine.
And Ali Beckman, technical director and head teacher at Puddle Ducks has been joined by her son, Ethan- who has begun working at the Barons Quay pool as a poolside assistant and receptionist.
Chris and Jake
Other members of the team keeping it in the family are Chris, a teacher at Barons Quay, and her son Jake who is working as a poolside assistant and receptionist; Nici, head of teaching at Mid-Cheshire and North West Regional Technical Manager, and her two daughters Lucy, who is a poolside assistant and receptionist, and Sasha who is a teacher, both at Baron’s Quay; Melanie, a teacher and programme assessor at Barons Quay, and her daughter Heather who is a poolside assistant and receptionist; and last but not least, Helen and her daughter Alice who are both poolside assistants at the Sea Shell Trust.
Jo Stone, co-founder and CEO of Puddle Ducks said: "It is so amazing to see so many of the team’s children working here at Puddle Ducks.
"They all began their swimming journey here, and it is great to see them start their working lives here- gaining invaluable experience and independence, whilst working in a truly enjoyable role.
"Our swim teachers often say it’s the best job in the world, and it’s great to have our own children able to experience the joy and reward that comes with teaching children how to swim."
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