Swimming coach wins award for inclusive teaching

Mark Podbury (middle) won a national award for his inclusive coaching

An ex-navy officer has won an award for his work as a swimming coach, highlighting his inclusive approach.

Burnham-on-Sea swimming coach Mark Podbury has been given a Swim England award for "South West Swimming Development Coach".

This comes in the same year his club celebrates its 50th anniversary, set up by his dad in 1974.

"We encourage the kids, we train three nights a week. You must give the child the opportunity to decide what they want to do," Mr Podbury said.

After more than 30 years in the Royal Navy, Mr Podbury retired from service in 2012 and started coaching children at the Burnham-on-Sea swimming club.

Mr Podbury said growing up, he was with the Mendip Swimming Club, until a pool opened in Burnham-on-Sea in 1974.

"My father decided to set a swimming club in the new pool," Mr Podbury said.

"Swimming was still an amateur sport, nobody was getting paid, everyone was a volunteer."

He said swimming as a sport has changed now, and become "more intense".

"We're in one of the hardest county's in the country," he added.

"Kids really have to work hard to achieve those qualifying times."

He said he was "pleased" when he received the award from Swim England.

Some of the parents of the children he teaches put him forward, Mr Podbury said.

"We are very much a community club and we're here for Burnham-on-Sea to provide the service.

"There are very few coaches in Somerset left who don't get paid a penny.

"I was so pleased when I got invited to the awards, I didn't expect to win."