September 10, 2020
Virginia Beach, VA – British Swim School has joined forces with 7-time Olympic Medalist Amanda Beard and the Hope Floats Foundation to save the lives of children across the United States.
Amanda is a 4-time U.S. Olympian who won two gold, four silver and one bronze during her illustrious career. At 14 years old, she made her first Olympic appearance and became the second youngest swimmer in history to receive a medal, winning one gold and two silvers. She went on to earn eight USA Swimming National Titles, hold the FINA World Record and the World Champion title for the 200-meter breaststroke, and compete in three more Olympic Games.
Following her decorated swimming career, Amanda has served as a brand representative, nonprofit advisor, and a model and correspondent for print and television outlets. She has written a New York Times Bestselling book (In the Water They Can’t See You Cry) and is the Co-Founder of Beard Swim Co., a learn-to-swim school located in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Amanda has recently joined the Hope Floats Foundation Board of Directors where she will help to expand water safety awareness and raise funds for scholarships to serve children across the U.S. who can’t otherwise afford to learn to swim.
“British Swim School is proud to partner with four-time Olympian, Amanda Beard and the Hope Floats Foundation to bring water safety awareness and scholarships for water survival lessons to our communities across the U.S.” said Brian Garrison, President of British Swim School. “Our mission that every child should have the opportunity to become a safe and healthy swimmer means that we are committed to breaking down the barriers preventing many children from learning to swim.”
“Keeping kids water safe is a mission that became more important to me after having children of my own. I believe the ability to swim is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child, and that there is a segment of children from disadvantaged families who are underserved. I am looking forward to working with Hope Floats and British Swim School to expand access to help these children,” said Amanda Beard, Hope Floats Foundation Board Member.
The equivalent of thirteen school buses full of children die each year in the United States due to drowning. Although 100% preventable, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under age 5 and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under age 14. Studies from the National Institute of Health show that swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.
About British Swim School: British Swim School’s mission is teaching water safety and survival skills to children as young as 3 months old. Rita Goldberg founded British Swim School in 1981 and developed the unique and highly effective teaching methods that are a recognized hallmark of the brand today. Acquired by Buzz Franchise Brands in early 2019, British Swim School is the latest addition to the Buzz Franchise Brands family, which includes pool cleaning and maintenance company Pool Scouts and residential cleaning company Home Clean Heroes. British Swim School currently operates over 215 schools across the United States and Canada. For more information about British Swim School, visit www.britishswimschool.com. To learn more about the benefits of British Swim School’s franchising opportunities, visit https://britishswimschoolfranchise.com/. For more information about Buzz Franchise Brands, visit https://www.buzzfranchisebrands.com/.
About Hope Floats Foundation: Hope Floats Foundation, founded in 2016, is a national nonprofit organization. Its mission is to prevent drownings by providing scholarships for swim lessons to disadvantaged children. Hope Floats partners with local communities to offer financial need-based scholarships in over 190 swim school locations in 30 states. Each year, thousands of swim lessons are provided by Hope Floats to empower disadvantaged children with the swimming skills to save their own lives. For more information about Hope Floats and how to make a lifesaving donation, please visit www.hopefloats.foundation.
