Growing up by the sea in Devon, I developed a passion for swimming from a young age which progressed on to swim competitively. It therefore only felt natural to become a qualified Level 2 ASA Swimming Teacher, and from the age of 16 I have been swimming teaching across various organisations within the UK. After a few international surfing trips and experiencing the oceans monstrous and powerful ability, it encouraged myself and a few friends to acquire our beach lifeguard qualification. This allowed us to learn about how we can keep ourselves and others safe while enjoying mother natures beauty. Travelling South-East Asia shone light on our privileged positionality by not only having the opportunity to learn to swim, but having access to knowledge about water safety.

Studying MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action this year really honed in on the contextual realities of global inequalities that are increasingly exacerbated by climate change. Within this, drowning rates is one of the biggest, yet neglected public health issues, and after some research I came across the incredible Swim Tayka charity.

Swim Tayka aim to tackle the drowning epidemic by providing free swimming lessons and drowning prevention education to underprivileged children who live by earth's open waters: rivers, lakes and oceans. With your support I will be able to contribute to this amazing cause, assisting the delivery of swimming lessons with Swim Tayka's partner organisation SwimDo in Bali.