On Friday 22nd April, British Olympic Swimmer Mark Foster visited Francis Holland to open our new swimming pool.

The new pool features an adjustable floor, enabling the pool to be deep enough for sports such as diving and water polo and shallow enough for swimming lessons and training. Mr Fillingham thanked the School Governors, and the Chair of Governors, Mrs Marie Winckler, introduced Mark Foster who gave a short speech describing his very first memories of water, a swimming lesson inspired by his father’s fall into a lake! From then on, he was hooked, and every dip into a pool was an opportunity to race his friends to the deep end (a competitive streak which, of course, served him well in later years)! He then unveiled the plaque dedicated to the opening of the pool, and it was officially open.

The swimming squad then eagerly lined up along the side of the pool for a coaching session with Mark. The girls displayed some brilliant skills, helped along by his Olympic standard tips and advice! It was wonderful to see the new pool being enjoyed by so many of our girls.

Mark Foster said, “I was delighted to come and coach the Francis Holland pupils. I spend a lot of my time encouraging participation in all sports and fitness activities amongst teenage girls with a particular passion for my sport of swimming. This fantastic new pool within the school will definitely motivate them further to improve every aspect of their swimming as well as those who play water polo.”

The girls also really enjoyed the whole experience. “It was incredible to be coached by an Olympian! Mark Foster was a real inspiration and with the benefit of the new pool, we are motivated to train harder than ever” said FHS Swim Team Captain, Cecilia Rafter (Year 9).

We then moved into the school hall, where every student and staff member were assembled for a longer speech from Mark. He spoke about a visit made by Duncan Goodhew, an Olympic swimmer, to his secondary school, and the ways in which this inspired him in turn to dream of one day going to the Olympics. Though the 5am starts were a struggle while Mark was at school, he pushed through by concentrating on his Olympic dream and always went into each training session with a positive mindset; something which he believes plays a very important part in any kind of success.

The girls asked Mark some very engaging questions, ranging from his Personal Best time and the role nutrition plays in the life of an athlete to queries about his time on Strictly Come Dancing! Overall, it was a wonderful morning to mark the opening of such a great addition to the school. Many thanks to the School’s Governors, Mr Dempsey, the PE Department and, of course, Mark Foster for helping to make it such a success.