two-and-a-half to 11 years old.

The main focus of the programme is to teach children how to swim and how to stay safe. Another aim is to teach youngsters lifesaving skills in the hopes that they will never need them.

The Harbour Club Swim Programme was established in 1979 by Gareth Davies as a non-profit charity organisation to provide competitive swimmers of the club employment over the summer months. And to give them the opportunities to swim in Olympic-sized pools.

Head swim instructor and programme coordinator for the Harbour Swim Club Mandy Oatley, 23, has been swimming since she was six years old and has been with the Harbour Club for 12 years. She holds a National Aquatics Rescue Standards Certificate, Basic Teachers Swimming Certificate, her Swimming Teachers Certificate and qualifications which include CPR from the International Swim Team in England.

Head swim instructor Elisha Miller, 17, and volunteer junior instructor Melanie Fullerton, a student at the Bermuda High School for Girls, have swam competitively for both the Harbour Swim Club and their schools. Elisha is completing her fifth year in SUI at the Saltus Grammar School and Melanie has been with the Harbour Club for two years and is completing her eighth year in school.

They told The Royal Gazette : "Basically, if you stick with it and put a lot of time and effort in there will be a reward.'' Ms Oatley and the other swim instructors meet with the students a few times each week to establish strength work and focus on freestyle and backstrokes.

"I give 120 percent to everything I do and I know my dedication and determination has definitely come from swimming,'' she said.

When the students first start learning with the programme some are a little afraid and others have no fear at all. However, students are always taught that the water can be a dangerous place at times.

Katie Dilke, eight, told The Royal Gazette : "I've been swimming in the Harbour Club for two years and I like Mandy.'' Katie, who is a student of the Harbour Swim Club, has dreams of becoming a swimmer and diver when she grows up. When asked about the other swim instructors she replied: "I like them too.'' The programme is now a registered charity and raises money for their annual club trip which takes young swimmers to the United States or Canada to improve their swimming.