Swim England joins forces with Disney and Ocean Bottle to train swimming teachers

Swim England has teamed up with Disney and Ocean Bottle in a unique partnership which will help train new swimming teachers.

To mark the nationwide release of The Little Mermaid, the three organisations have joined forces as part of a campaign to challenge the obstacles and barriers which prevent people in England from learning to swim.

Both Disney and Ocean Bottle will be making a contribution to Swim England to train new swimming teachers over the next three years.

As part of the campaign, the three brands have created a co-branded film – ‘One World. One Ocean’ –  that explores the stories of diverse community groups as they express their love of water and highlight the importance of representation in the ocean and aquatic communities.

Swim England statistics show that while 14 per cent of white communities cannot swim 25m, this increases to 49 per cent of ethnically diverse groups.

The collaboration has been created in a bid to make swimming and water-based activity as accessible and inclusive for everyone.

It also marks the first live-action adaptation of the Disney animated film, The Little Mermaid, which will be shown in cinemas nationwide from Friday 26 May.

Ocean Bottle has also created a new limited edition One World, One Ocean bottle, which represents the ocean, the marine life and the people who help nurture it.

Swim England has previously worked with Disney to offer inspired family fun sessions featuring some of its most recognisable and popular characters.

Fusion of two worlds

Kate Rudkin, Swim England’s head of marketing and communications, said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside Disney again and joining forces with Ocean Bottle in this new campaign to help train a new cohort of swimming teachers.

“A major target in our new 10-year strategy, Access Aquatics, is to increase participation amongst diverse communities and this partnership will play a key role in helping to achieve that.

“Our thanks go to Disney and Ocean Bottle for funding this new campaign and we hope many youngsters will be inspired by The Little Mermaid and want to learn how to swim and be active in the water like Ariel.”

Will Pearson, Co-Founder & CEO of Ocean Bottle said: “This unique collaboration will reflect the fusion of two worlds united over the importance of representation.

“The ocean needs our help, uniting all perspectives and championing representation … establishing it as a diverse, equitable space that we can treasure for generations to come.”

The Little Mermaid was originally released in 1989 and is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure.

The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.

While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart.

She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

Ocean Bottle’s limited-edition One World. One Ocean bottle created to celebrate the release of The Little Mermaid can be purchased from its online store.

Further details on how people can become swimming teachers as part of the partnership will be released in due course.