As a Shaw Method of swimming teacher and editor of this publication I’m often asked by friends for my advice on the best way to teach their children to swim. My answer is, unless you are terrified of the water, take your children to the pool regularly, have fun in the water, and get them started yourself. Judging from the responses I get, more information on what to teach and what not to teach would be welcome, particularly with the summer holidays and the chance of some everyday swimming coming...

We asked you, our lovely readers, to tell us about your swimming achievements from the past year, and what an inspirational mailbag we received. Without further ado here are our favourites. Prepared to be inspired …Rescue fly …“As a water rescue technician with the London fire brigade I am trained to enter moving and static water to rescue and assist casualties. For this I wear a dry suit and a PFD (similar to a life jacket). I am also tethered to another rescuer on the river bank, by means of a...