Meet the former Great Britain swimming champion teaching Sunderland's children to swim

Former Great Britain swimming champion Jonathan Carlisle has made it his mission to ensure as many children in the city as possible leave school able to swim.

Jonathan, who grew up in Southwick, was crowned national champion in 200m backstroke in 2014 and enjoyed a career which took him around the world, including taking part in Olympic trials.

He even competed against swimming legend Micheal Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Jonathan said: “After learning to swim, I joined Sunderland Swimming Club at the Aquatic Centre. I had two great coaches in Paul Hogg and Danny Thomson and I started competing in local competitions.

“I loved competing and kept pushing myself to the limit. I would be in the pool at 5.30am every morning before going to school.

“I was selected to go to the British Swimming Performance Centre in Bath and started competing for Great Britain at the age of 18.

“I was in the pool 10 times a week and the gym nearly everyday.”

At the age of 25 Jonathan decided to hang up his racing goggles and in 2016 set up Swim City, a swimming school which has gone on to teach thousands of children to swim and to understand water safety.

Jonathan, now 31, said: “My aims for Swim City have changed over the years. When I first set up the school I wanted to give kids the training and opportunity to experience what I did, swimming for Great Britain. But I’d now rather see the children enjoying their swimming, having fun and being healthy than necessarily bringing through the next Olympian.”

In 2022 Swim City was voted the second best swimming school in the country in the Swim England awards.

Currently operating out of pools at Thornhill Academy and Castle View Academy, in addition to teaching children at local schools, Swim City is currently teaching around 1,000 of the city’s children to swim.

While Jonathan offers small class sizes and staff ratios of two teachers to a maximum group size of six, with bespoke sessions to meet individuals’ needs, the school operates on the fundamental principles of fun and ensuring people are water safe.

The former GB champion said: “It’s crucial to get more children swimming and being confident swimmers. In Sunderland around 50% of children can’t swim and around 60% of all people nationally.

“Quite a lot of people can swim 25 to 50m, but this probably won’t be enough to get you out of trouble if you find yourself in difficulties in water.

“The more people spend time in the water the more they will understand the dangers water can pose and also know what to do if they ever get into difficulties.

“I also really want children to enjoy swimming and we really look to put on lessons which engage them and make them want to continue swimming through their teens and into adulthood, rather than stopping at the age of eight or nine.”

Next month (November), Jonathan hopes to increase the number of children taking lessons to over 1,500 as Swim City will expand its operation to include Monkwearmouth Academy pool, which is currently being refurbished.

The agreement will see Swim City teach children at the school as well as providing a more permanent home from which to deliver lessons.

Jonathan said: “When you are renting pools it's more difficult to set-up permanent equipment, but being based at Monkwearmouth gives us the consistency of a location that will allow me to install a starter block and we’ve also now got a disability hoist.

“We also plan to install a disabled changing facility. We already teach a lot of autistic children as well as those with physical disabilities and this will help us to make the sessions even more accessible.”

However it’s not just children who learn to swim with Swim City.

Jonathan said: “We have people in our sessions from toddlers up to people in their 70s. Swimming is a great way of keeping fit and healthy, particularly with older people as it's low impact on people’s joints. It also works so many little muscles and ligaments which other sports don’t do.

“We are trying to engage older people as well as the ethnic communities. We are also looking to set up a link with British Triathlon as well as synchronised swimming sessions.”

In January 2023 Jonathan also established the Community Interest Company (CIC) Ice Kids with the support of Sunderland Business and Innovation Centre (BIC).

Jonathan said: “Like all businesses it was a really challenging time during Covid but the families and parents were really supportive.

“Last summer (2022) we wanted to give something back. We ran six beach days where we took parents and families to the coast to enjoy some fun in the sea, learn about water safety, play games and also enjoy some food.

“It was a great experience and I wanted to do something more. It wasn’t really viable to run something permanent from the business and so with the help of Sunderland BIC we set up Ice Kids CIC.

“The BIC helped us to access funding from Together for Children from the Holiday Activity and Food programme and this summer (2023) we did 15 events at Thornhill Academy Swimming Pool and six beach days.

“We also did cooking sessions looking at healthy eating and also arts and crafts. The sessions target children from disadvantaged families and are free for the children.

“It’s now something we are looking to do every school holidays.”

To find out more about lessons or to book a session, go to the Swim City website.