Meet the Swimfun team

Michelle is the founder and owner of Swimfun, starting with her first venture at Keelman’s Way School in Hebburn before expanding to Harton Sports Academy in South Shields and now running the Learn to Swim programme at Gateshead Leisure Centre after being a volunteer for almost 2 years to campaign to reopen this facility after its closure in 2022. Michelle has grown a thriving swim school, offering lessons from birth to pre-competitive swimming and adult tuition, and recruiting the most experienced and qualified instructors, most of which come from an ex-competitive background. The baby and toddler classes have a strong element of personal survival, and the schemes were written by Michelle with extensive world wide research.

Michelle’s professional background is in education, being a qualified school teacher who progressed to management in Further Education and has over 20 years’ experience in managing contracts and developing successful projects. Michelle has a personal passion for inclusivity which is evident in her swim school with many diverse members including children and adults with additional needs and groups that are segregated from the mainstream to accommodate religious beliefs. An ex-competitor herself and very passionate about the sport, Michelle has swam with adult clubs after progressing from competitive youth clubs. Michelle has been involved with swimming for over 40 years and has the drive, passion and enthusiasm and knowledge to provide the best swimming experience for anyone who wants to be a member, no matter their age or ability level.

Darren joined Swimfun in 2020, taking on the role of Finance Director. This role was needed due to the vast and rapid expansion of the swim school. Darren has over 20 years’ experience of financial and business management. He manages  memberships in addition to the overall finance of the business. He qualified as both swimming teacher and lifeguard in a short space of time so he was best prepared to deal with enquiries over the telephone, providing quality advice and guidance and also to support the teaching team and the Swimfun community in general.

Sophie began working with children as a teen volunteer with sporting activities which led her to becoming an adventurous activity leader for several years. Throughout this time, she gained her swimming teaching and lifeguarding qualifications. Sophie has 10 years of experience of working with children, including those with additional needs, and excels in building trusting relationships and developing confidence in the pool. Sophie is also a specialised baby and toddler teacher in addition to teaching the Swim England stages for older children.

Charlotte (Sibbs) is an ex-competitive swimmer who swam for South Tyneside for 10 years and joined Swimfun as an in-pool helper when she was only 14, working and training alongside the MD in the pool. Charlotte worked towards her teaching and lifeguard qualifications when she turned 16 and developed the range of levels she teaches, from babies to pre-competitive. Charlotte also leads the Swimtrain programme, which is for advanced swimming, stages 7 – 10+ in which children train for an hour. Using her own experience and knowledge of advanced swimming training techniques, Swimtrain is a unique advantage for Swimfun and those who are part of it.

Charlotte (Lottie) is an ex-competitive swimmer who swam for South Tyneside for 7 years and joined Swimfun in 2020. Lottie achieved great results in breaststroke, competing at N&D in the 50m breaststroke events. Lottie started her teaching experience by working as a volunteer coach for her old club before joining us as an in-pool helper. She quickly qualified as a teacher and lifeguard and teaches all 12 of our stages from babies up to Stage 10. Lottie also excels with little ones with additional needs as she has a lot of experience with supporting children with ASD and supports a lot of SEND holiday camps.

Paul has been part of Swimfun since 2019 and teaches Stage 1-6. He is a Level 2 Triathlon Coach as well as a Level 1 Swim England Coach, in addition to having 6 years teaching experince with Swimfun. He still swims with the Masters squad at City of Sunderland ASC and works as a part-time triathlon coach. Paul is very knowledgeable with advanced techniques for adult coaching.

George has been around the water for most of his life, spending most summers on the coast. From getting out and about on the sea in earlier years, to qualifying as an RNLI Beach Lifeguard and RYA Sailing Instructor more recently. He has competed in swimming regionally with his club, nationally with the Royal Navy Sea Scouts and is currently an aspiring Officer Cadet. George has been helping and teaching swimming since he turned 14 with his old swimming club, the local teaching trust, and now for Swimfun, covering many ages and ability levels.

Ruby is a Level 2 qualified swimming teacher and lifeguard and has been involved with swimming from a young age, including rookie lifeguards. She has been part of Swimfun since 2022 and teaches most stages from toddlers to Stage 6. Ruby works mainly at our South Shields pool, but you may see her helping out at other pools as she is always ready to provide a helping hand and spend as much time in our pools with our little ones as possible, sharing her knowledge and passion for the sport.

IsabelIa (Issy) is an ex-competitive swimmer who joined us when she retired from competitive swimming. She swam for South Tyneside Swimming Club for 11 years and her biggest achievement was 100m and 200m breaststroke, reaching N&D level.  She is currently studying Sports Coaching at college and is working towards Lead Swimming Teacher status.

Elif is a competitive swimmer who joined us joined us in 2024 supporting the Learn to Swim programme at the newly reopened Gateshead Leisure Centre. Elif has been a great asset to the team with her current knowledge of swimming training techniques and desire to learn how to teach babies and toddlers, which she has achieved with success. Elif is a breaststroker and swims at a very high level, still competing at county, regional and national level.

Paul (Paulo) is a very experienced swimming teacher with his passion for the sport starting at a young age when he was a keen wind and kite surfer. Whilst water sports and swimming were very much a hobby for many years, he worked with children with special needs in a school setting for around 13 years before qualifying as a swimming teacher. Paul teaches a lot of stages from toddlers, up to Stage 6. Paul takes ‘no nonsense’ in his lessons and is our disciplinarian. Children achieve high results in a short space of time in his lessons.

Saskia has been working with Swimfun since almost the very beginning, teaching a range of ages from babies up to and including Stage 4 at Keelman’s Way School in Hebburn. She has a particular passion and talent for working with children with additional needs and all of her lessons are much fun and very engaging. She is a very experienced baby and toddler teacher and has excellent success rates of progressing little ones quickly.

Abbie is still a competitive swimmer, having swam for South Tyneside Swimming Club for 14 years, through which she has won County titles in the 50m backstroke as well as competing at both a regional and national level. Abbie is a level 2 teacher as well as a qualified lifeguard and has been part of Swimfun since 2023. Abbie works in our South Shield’s pool with stages 1 – 10+ and has a lot of experience and skills to share with our little swimmers.

Tilly is an ex-competitive swimmer of South Tyneside Swim Club, swimming from a young age until she was 13. She is now a Level 2 qualified teacher and lifeguard who has been part of Swimfun since 2022. Tilly teaches a range of stages from toddlers to stage 4 at Keelman’s Way School in Hebburn. We hope for her to join our Harton team in the future, where she can share some of her competitive skills and experience with our higher stages.

Hayley qualified as a swimming teacher way back in 2007 and has a lot of experience. She has taught children from aged 2 all the way to pre-competitive and rookie lifeguard, being a qualified and practising lifeguard for many years. Throughout her swimming career she has also trained many new instructors, passing on her skills and knowledge. Hayley also has a vast experience of working with children with additional needs.

Rachel is an ex-competitive swimmer with over 11 years’ experience of competing at local and national level. Rachel joined us in 2024, supporting our takeover of the Learn to Swim programme at Gateshead Leisure centre. She is a qualified teacher and lifeguard and teaches from Swimtoddlers up to Stage 6.

Carl has been with Swimfun since 2017. He meets and greets our Keelman’s Way swimmers and has responsibility for the safety of the building during the time we lease it. He always has a smile on his face and a joke or two for our little swimmers.

Carol has been with Swimfun since 2019. She meets and greets our Keelman’s Way swimmers and has responsibility for the safety of the building during the time we lease it. Carol dresses up as an elf at Christmas to surprise our little swimmers so please have a ‘Ho ho ho’ ready for her.