Find out more about our fabulous team and their journey with Puddle Ducks...
-
Faye
Franchisee
Faye launched the Puddle Ducks franchise in Wakefield in February 2009 after leaving the midwifery profession after 10 years and having two small children. "Swimming has always been a big part of my life, and I love working with parents & babies, so this was just such a natural step for me. Before I committed to buying the franchise, I went down to Mid-Cheshire where Puddle Ducks began, and watched a couple of classes. I knew immediately this was what I wanted to do, and was quite emotional at the side of the pool watching a Floaties class. I am so proud to be part of the amazing and nationally recognised Puddle Ducks Franchise and so proud to have brought these fantastic classes to the local area with my fabulous team".
-
Joanna
Business Operations Manager & Designated Safeguarding Officer
A key member of our team since April 2012, Joanna is the hub of all knowledge managing customer care and behind the scenes too.
-
Lindsay
Customer Support Advisor & Poolside Assistant
If you call or email our office, chances are you will speak to the lovely Lindsay who joined our team in 2016, initially as a poolside assistant but then joined the office too. You will meet Lindsay in person if you swim at The Village Hotel on a Thursday afternoon or a Friday morning.
-
Marie
Customer Support Advisor
"I was on maternity leave when I first witnessed a BPS class. I remember getting home & saying to my family that my face hurt from smiling! I immediately knew that it was the job for me. I was welcomed in to the Puddle Ducks family & in time with hard work, lots of training & support I passed my assessment. I taught BPS for some time before training as an Swim Academy (SA) teacher. In time my confidence & knowledge grew & I was successful in my application for a senior teacher role.
I have had a break from teaching & recently returned as a SA teacher only. My reason for returning is simple, I missed it greatly. I can not describe the gratification you get from this job! It truly is so unbeliably rewarding.
I have so much fun in classes & it is all thanks to our amazing little Puddle Ducks. They are the reason that my job is such a joy. I feel privileged to be teaching this essential life skill & witness such beautiful progression & confidence building in every class. In all honestly they have taught me as much as I have them, how to be super patient, understanding, supportive & most importantly to teach each & everyone of them as individuals.
If you ever see me crying it's tears of pride & joy. You invest in your swimmers & care for their journey as their journey is also mine"
-
Verity
Head of Teaching, Baby and Pre School, Swim Academy & Elite Swim Academy Teacher, Aquanatal Teacher
"When my little girl arrived, 10 years ago, I really wanted to go to baby swimming classes, it sounded fabulous. After starting with a different provider myself and another mum decided to move to Puddle Ducks who offered more flexibility within their classes and what a great decision we made. Faye (the franchisee) was our teacher and the classes were amazing, calm, relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable. I went on to have another little one who started with Puddle Ducks at 4 weeks old and as my maternity leave started to come to an end I started to dread returning to my old job and dreamed of a job that was rewarding and fitted around my new family’s needs.
Faye was so approachable, and I expressed an interest in working for Puddle Ducks and instead of returning to my old job became a poolside assistant working with the lovely Sara and I quickly fell in love with the idea of becoming a teacher. As easy as the teachers make it look there is a lot to learn!! So a year after starting as a poolside assistant, 100 pool hours, 3 courses later and 1 very patient Sara, I passed my assessments and began to teach my own classes.
The Best job in the world. I was the envy of all my friends I had a job I loved!! (And still do) spending my mornings with tiny babies, toddlers developing their own personalities and full of beans pre schoolers, what’s not to love. Being a part of little one’s swimming journeys is a privilege, I love to see little ones splashing, kicking and blowing bubbles in the water without a care in the world just perfectly relaxed and happy to be there.
It wasn’t long before Faye decided that we needed to offer school age classes too, another 2 courses later and myself, Joanna and Kerry were ready for Swim Academy. No parents in the water eeekk, bigger personalities eeekk, but just as much fun and every bit as rewarding as our baby and preschool classes seeing the progress the swimmers make week in week out, seeing the confidence build in them makes me love the job more.
Then it was time for Elite Swim Academy, more courses, more hours in the pool (and an incident with my eyes that Joanna loves to remind me of to this day), and we were ready for the final stage of graceful swimming. It is the most amazing thing to watch the graceful, effortless swim of a Puddle Ducks child and to know you’ve helped and guided them.
Those who have been to my classes and my colleagues know that it doesn’t take much for me to tear up, a perfect 5m swim – tears, a perfectly in time face dip – tears, a child who blows bubbles after a rocky start to their swimming journey – tears, a child who’s swam with me since being little moving on to a swimming club – tears … the list is endless. I am seeing parents bringing their 2nd and 3rd children to us for lessons after bringing their 1st . It is our swimmers who make this job so special"
-
Helen
Senior Teacher, Baby and Pre School & Swim Academy Teacher
"I started my Puddle Ducks journey in 2010 when I took my daughter Imogen to Floaties. Our teacher was Faye, our franchisee, and I loved the lessons. I didn't find adapting to being a mummy particularly easy and Puddle Ducks was the one baby group I loved going to and kept going to even after my maternity leave finished.
When Alexander arrived in 2014, I already knew he would be a Puddle Duck and he took to it, as the saying goes, like a duck to water! (That's not to say every week was a breeze. I particularly remember one epic meltdown when I wouldn't let Alexander take his shoe in the swimming pool!)I was a secondary school teacher and had become very disillusioned with the profession the thought of returning to my old job filled me with dread. It was while I was on maternity leave that I took voluntary redundancy from teaching and an opportunity arose to train with Puddle Ducks. I jumped at the chance and it has been the best decision I could have made.
I love seeing my customers make progress in whatever shape that takes. I don't underestimate how important all the smaller milestones are. Yes, the distance swims are hugely important and such a big achievement but just as important are the occassions where a nervous Little Dipper blows bubbles for the first time, or a Splasher puts their head down on my signal or the Kicker with additional needs who crawls across the float for the first time. I have the privilege of seeing other families swimming journeys and to help shape that experience and to equip children to stay safe in the water whilst having fun! I get to share the good times & the tricky times. I've smiled, laughed and even shed the odd tear with my customers. I truly believe that Puddle Ducks has the child at the centre of everything we do and that fits with my own values and is why I love it so much.
I feel beyond lucky to have been able to change my career, utilise my teaching skills in a different way and wake up each day and do a job that I love"
-
Paula
Baby and Pre School Teacher & Swim Academy Teacher
"I started my Puddle Ducks Journey after I had met Faye at a Mothercare event. I was promoting my Baby Massage classes and Faye obviously Baby Swimming. I did baby swimming with both my boys, unfortunately Puddle Ducks wasn't in our area then. Both my boys love the water and now swim better than me. It was really important to my Husband and I that they both learn to swim and be safe around water and I loved the one to one time in the pool with each of them.
Since leaving school I having worked in an office doing the Financial side of businesses and didn't find it very exciting. In 2014 I trained to teach Baby Massage. I found I really enjoyed spending time and teaching parents and babies. So after a bereavement in January 2016, I decided I needed to do something else along with the Baby Massage. Teaching baby swimming seemed the ideal opportunity, so I contacted Faye to see what was required to train. Before I knew it I was booked onto my STA course and Puddle Ducks course and my Journey began. After months of training and co-teaching I qualified to teach my own classes in June 2016.
I love being in the pool with my little swimmers and their family members. Seeing the difference I am making and knowing I am teaching life saving skills is so rewarding. I feel so proud when my little swimmers achieve the smallest (blowing bubbles for the first time) to the biggest (5 metres) milestones. I am so glad I made the decision to become a preschool swimming teacher.
Keep making me smile little swimmers"
-
Emma
Baby and Pre School Teacher, Swim Academy Teacher & Aquanatal Teacher
"My Puddle Ducks journey started from being a customer when my daughter was 2 years old and my son was 3 months. Going swimming was the highlight of the week – although my daughter didn’t always agree with me! That one-on-one time was special. 5 years on and it has been wonderful seeing them progress and become more confident in the water and develop into the strong little swimmers they are today.
Seeing my children learn to swim has motivated me to become a swimming teacher. The training was intensive, I don’t think I’ve ever studied as much in my life, but it was something I really wanted to do and I wasn’t going to let a bit of hard work stand in my way. The practical training in the pool was hard and unnerving at times but the advice and support you get from the other teachers was amazing. They really are a brilliant team!
After a nerve-wracking assessment I was overjoyed to learn that I had passed and I got to teach my own Puddle Ducks classes. These classes are wonderful and so much fun. I look forward to my puddle ducks journey lasting for many years to come"
-
Rachel
Baby & Pre-School Teacher
-
Steph
Baby and Pre School Teacher, Swim Academy Teacher & Senior Teacher
"Hi, I’m Steph! I had always been a keen swimmer and spent most of my early years upside down swimming for a local synchronised swimming club…but life got busy and I fell out of the habit, until my little boy was born 18 months ago. We started to go to the pool for a bit of fun and it reminded me just how much I enjoyed swimming. So we signed up as a Splasher for lessons with Puddle Ducks to learn some new moves in the water and both loved it. Its’s such a lovely way to spend some quality time with your baby and watching his water confidence grow and seeing how much he enjoyed the sessions has been such a joy. I wanted to become a Puddle Ducks Teacher to be able to share that experience with other babies too. I have run other workshops and classes in the past, but working with a group of babies in the water has to be one of my favourite things to run!"
-
Julia
Baby and Pre School Teacher
-
Catherine
Baby & Pre-School Teacher
"My Puddle Ducks journey began almost 11 years ago when my son was only a tiny 8 week old Floatie! Back then I loved attending the weekly sessions with a group of my ‘Mum friends’. When my daughter was born 2 years later I started from the beginning all over again!
For 15 years I worked as a primary school teacher but left to spend more time with my family just before lockdown happened (great timing)! When the kids were back at school, I found myself with some spare time on my hands and jumped at the chance to take on the role of poolside assistant with Puddle Ducks. I have not looked back and look forward to the sessions each week, and now I am training to be a teacher!. I love getting to know the children and seeing them progress and develop each week - having fun whilst learning such an important skill"
-
Victoria
Baby & Pre-School Teacher
Hi I'm Victoria. I started taking my little girl to Puddle Ducks when she was 8 weeks old and have loved watching her confidence and swimming abilities grow. So when she started going to nursery, I couldn't wait to jump right in and start helping other little swimmers on their own journey. I have always thought of swimming being an essential life saving skill and Puddle Ducks teach this in such a fun way that parents and kids love jumping in the pool :-)
-
Louise
Poolside Assistant at Everlast Barnsley & The Village Hotel, BPS Teacher & Swim Academy Teacher
"My swimming story started while growing up next door to our local pool, we used to go regularly for a splash about but it wasn't until I was nearly swept out into the sea on holiday that my parents decided it was time for some swimming lessons.
I remember enjoying my lessons, my teacher's name's, the other children in my classes that became my friends and looking forward to that special time in the pool every week.
In my teens, going lane swimming with my Mum was our time to enjoy some exercise and fun together which we still continue to date.
Once we became parents ourselves we talked about learning life skills and signed up our son up at 4 months old for his first swimming lesson.
We moved home with my previous job and found Puddle Ducks, Helen was our teacher, Nic the poolside assistant and Sunday morning was our bonding time together.
A few years later when we had our daughter, we restarted the Baby and Pre-School programme. Our son was now in Swim Academy and I was always watching in awe how much the kids were enjoying their lessons, the smiles, the laughter, the songs, the fun!
In time I applied for the role of Poolside Assistant and haven't looked back. It is truly the best job I've ever had"
-
Laura
Poolside Assistant at Everlast Fitness Leeds & Baby & Pre-School Teacher
My swimming journey started from an early age as my parents drilled into me that swimming and water safety was an important life skill that every child should have, so I attended weekly swimming lessons throughout my childhood. As I have got older, I have understood for myself how important swimming and water safety is so when I had my first daughter, Ada-Rose, swimming lessons were the first baby class we signed up for and soon became the highlight of our week. We loved Puddle Ducks classes and when Nancy came along she started swimming with Puddle Ducks too. Not only does Puddle Ducks teach swimming, it also creates precious bonding time between a baby and their family members.
I am a Special Needs Primary School Teacher, which is a very demanding career and I found myself not having the work-life balance I wanted. After talking to the girl’s Puddle Duck’s, teachers who sold the job extremely well, I decided to take a career change. I can’t wait to help make special memories and teach an important life skill to babies and children and their families.
-
Josie
Poolside Assistant at Talbot and Trainee Baby & Pre-School teacher
-
Rebecca
Trainee Baby & Pre-School Teacher
-
Kelsy
Trainee Baby & Pre-school teacher
-
Aimie
Trainee Baby & PreSchool Teacher
-
Abbie
Swim Academy Teacher & Poolside Assistant
-
Laila
Poolside Assistant & Swim Academy Teacher
-
Edward
Swim Academy Teacher & Poolside Assistant at St Wilfrid's School
-
Andy
Swim Academy Teacher
-
Nic
Poolside Assistant at Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield, Everlast Barnsley & Greenacre School
I have worked at Puddle Ducks for over 8 years and I started as my nephew use to swim with Puddle Ducks from being a floatie (He is now 10!!)
In my spare time I like to read, spend time with my family and my cats ( I have turned into a crazy cat lady!haha)
My favourite Puddle Duck song is Peter Rabbit and my favourite activity is dippers rolling off the float.
-
Nicola
Poolside Assistant at Concord Sports Centre, The Village Hotel & Ponds Forge
-
Sally
Poolside Assistant at Everlast Fitness Leeds
-
Helen B
Poolside Assistant at St Wilfrid's
-
Liz
Poolside Assistant
I first heard of Puddle Ducks when I was pregnant with my little girl. I booked on to the aquanatal classes and it soon became my favourite time of the week. When Scarlett arrived I was determined that we would take her swimming so I booked her onto a floaties class at 8 weeks old and never really looked back.
During my maternity leave, the swimming classes (first with the lovely Paula and then after a move of days, with the amazing Verity) were the best part of my week. I looked forward to our classes and I really feel it brought us closer together.
When I returned to my job, I made sure we still had Wednesdays off together to continue our lessons and it is still the thing we look forward to the most- Scarlett LOVES the classes and is so ridiculously confident in the water, all thanks to the team at Puddle Ducks!
I love everything about the way the Puddle Ducks team work with children so when I saw the vacancy for a Poolside Assistant role with them, I knew I had to apply.
I feel really lucky to be joining the team and privileged to see other children thriving and having fun in the water, in the same way that my own child is doing!
-
Chloe
Poolside Assistant at Talbot Specialist School
-
Suzanne
Poolside Assistant at Delius Academy Bradford
-
Isabel
Poolside Assistant at Concord Sports Centre on a Sunday morning
-
Eleanor
Poolside Assistant at Ashgate Croft in Chesterfield
"Hi, my name is Eleanor. I am currently studying hard for my GCSEs and next year I’m going to college to study nursing. In my spare time I like to go to church and meet up with friends."
-
Isabelle
Poolside Assistant at St Wilfrids School on a Saturday
"Hello! My name is Isabelle. I study sociology, psychology and media studies at college. In my free time I swim and I am learning to crochet. I’m exited to help out and I’m so glad to be a part of the team!"
-
Shona
Poolside Assistant on a Sunday morning at Everlast Fitness Barnsley
"Hi, I’m Shona! I am a mum to two children, who are my world. In my spare time I like to socialise, listen to live music, go camping and I love paddle boarding with my kids and partner!"
-
Millie
Poolside Assistant at St Wilfrids on a Sunday