Teresa Griffin, from Worlingworth and who owns and runs Water Lilies Swimming School, which offers swimming lessons at pools in Suffolk and Norfolk, has been awarded the coveted Sir Henry Pike Memorial Award by STA’s Trustees

Teresa, who is nicknamed Treacle, launched her swim school in 2008 when she began offering lessons for her friends’ children in their own pools.

The school quickly grew and she started to hire private pools and offer more classes. By 2010, Teresa was joined by four instructors to cope with demand and two years later, Water Lilies was holding lessons in six pools, offering classes six days a week with 15 instructors teaching more 800 adults, babies and children per week.

This last 12 months, Teresa has developed her programmes, offering more STA award courses and increasing the variety of lessons, to include scuba diving, lessons for the disabled, synchro, short intense courses and taster sessions, delivered through the globally recognised STA International Learn to Swim Programme.

Roger Millward, STA’s CEO said: “Teresa has demonstrated huge commitment to providing excellent swimming teaching provision in Norfolk and Suffolk and has worked tirelessly to ensure that people in the area have access to the quality teaching they need.”

“STA’s trustees had no hesitation in announcing Teresa as this year’s recipient of the Sir Henry Pike Memorial Award.”

Teresa said she was thrilled to have won the award.

“I really love what I do with the children, pool owners, instructors and others and I really did not expect an award,” she said. “It’s the icing on the cake.”

John Holden, STA’s Regional Organiser for the East Anglia region, added: “Teresa’s award is richly deserved and epitomises all the hard work which goes into swimming teaching and coaching throughout Suffolk.”

Teresa will receive her award later at a special presentation in Suffolk.

STA’s Sir Henry Pike Memorial recognises individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to swimming and water safety education over the last 12 months.