Local swim teacher receives surprise visit from Olympic Medallist

Award-winning Shipston swim teacher, Suzanne Verralls, recently received a surprise visit from Team GB swimmer, Rebecca Adlington.

The Olympian visited Shipston Leisure Centre, managed by Everyone Active in partnership with Stratford District Council, to surprise Suzanne and present her with the Everyone Active Swim Teacher of the Year 2019 Award.

Suzanne scooped the award for her commitment to continuously bettering her own teaching skills, as well as her ability to help people of all ages to build their confidence in the pool and consistently working to a high standard. Her students develop fantastic abilities throughout all levels of the swim scheme, proving the quality of her teaching.

Swim Teacher of the Year 2019, Suzanne Verralls, said: “I’m speechless! I had no idea I had won, everyone’s kept it very quiet, and I can’t believe I have won this award for simply doing what I love!

“I’ve been teaching swimming here for over 10 years and really enjoy seeing my students develop their skills and become more confident in the water, especially when they get to grips with something they have been struggling with and achieve their goals.”

Speaking about her surprise visit, Adlington said: “I’m delighted to be here to celebrate Suzanne’s incredible commitment to teaching swimming… I’m so honoured to be a part of this award and celebrate an incredible teacher who’s inspiring the next generation - plus the expression on her face when I walked in was priceless!”

Jacqui Tillman, Group Swim Manager at Everyone Active said: “Suzanne is fantastic. She always goes above and beyond to make sure her students get the most out of their lessons. She’s always looking to improve too, and is now planning to gain her aqua fit qualification to help more Shipston residents keep active in the water.”

For more information about the activities at Shipston Leisure Centre visit www.everyoneactive.com