Taylor Barrett

Taylor has embraced the role of volunteer swim teacher within Skipton Swimming Club since ceasing his competitive swimming two years ago. He relays his valuable experience and knowledge to his pupils and has willingly given up his own time to train both Level 1 and 2 Swim Teacher qualifications.

Taylor was unanimously voted by the club this year as Young Volunteer of the Years national ASA - Aquaforce Volunteer awards for his outstanding and invaluable contribution to Skipton Swimming Club.

Swimming has been part of Taylor’s life since the age of four, and at age eleven he joined Skipton Swimming Club to pursue his interest further. He worked hard and progressed through the competitive swim pathway, swimming at county and regional championships. He still holds club records for 100 and 200 fly.

At 14, Taylor decided to step back from competitive swimming. But he wanted to give something back to the club that had helped him so he started helping on poolside. Taylor became its first Skipton Swimming Club Young Volunteer. He inspired other swimmers in the club to come forward and it now has an established scheme with 10 Young Volunteers.

Taylor has a real talent for sharing his passion for swimming and passing his knowledge on. Parents were frequently commenting on his poolside manner and how much their children saw him as an inspiration.

During a break from his GCSE studies he successfully gained ASA Level 1 Award in Teaching Aquatics and this summer turned down a family holiday abroad to successfully complete the ASA Level 2 Award in Teaching Aquatics qualifications, as this will enable him to take a wider role within the club.

Taylor is extremely committed to his poolside teaching role. He is an integral part of the coaching team and is responsible for supporting and developing the younger swimmers. He is an approachable, friendly, helpful club member and works well with coaches, adult and junior volunteers. He has a mature and professional attitude, is well organised and prepared, and will not let problems with transport make him late or miss training. He has also given extra time to cover a coach’s absence which has enabled training sessions to continue uninterrupted.

Taylor has a fresh enthusiastic approach and provides swimmers with the perfect balance of fun, commitment to training and the need for technique. His swimmers look up to him as a role model and are keen to please and are encouraged by his positive constructive feedback. His enthusiasm is infectious. SSC swimmer numbers are growing and it has waiting lists across the club.

He gets to know his swimmers quickly and builds excellent relationships.

As a coach the knowledge and skills that come from his own swimming are high level but Taylor has the great ability to transfer his knowledge to others. He explains things well and is always ready to help. Taylor can often be seen in the water demonstrating techniques, much to the amusement of his swimmers. They watch in awe as they see how graceful his strokes are.

Taylor has a very caring personality which can be seen at end of session after everyone is changed and on the way out. He takes the time to have a bit of friendly banter and gives positive encouragement.

Taylor is an asset to Skipton Swimming Club and is contributing to the development, growth and the success of the long term future and sustainability of the Club.

Bretten Lord

Bretten is enthusiastic and inspires others. He is a member of Settle Stories Young Persons Advisory group and volunteers at a weekly internet Help Café where he helps older people get online.

Bretten set up 'Take 2' - an amateur dramatic community theatre group. He is also directing the performances.

Having feature in 'Lad', Bretten has inspired many and been a positive role model within the local community. He has shown people that hard work can pay off.

His work with Settle Stories has helped the charity engage with a younger audience in the community and he has suggested key ways in which to engage this section of the community. He has been a positive ambassador for the charity and has raised awareness of their work.

He has volunteered weekly at the Internet Help Cafe where he has been a key member. He has befriended older people and passed on his skills with such positivity and enthusiasm. He has shown an ability to enthuse people across the generations.

With Take 2 Bretten has given people in Settle the chance to get involved in a community production that's very ambitious. He has secured the use of Mike Harding’s script and is using Victoria Hall for the production. He has also secured £500 from Craven District Council to ensure that the quality of the production will be the best it can be. He has worked tirelessly to achieve these things.

Cole Cooke

The South Skipton project is designed to help residents in Greatwood and Horseclose, and Cole is one of those residents. He is a bright spark and always willing to get involved in groups, consultation activities and events in the community.

The project has been trying to establish the best ways of sparking change in the area and residents say that Cole is always willing to help out.

He went to the photo-walk event, taking photographs of the estate and explaining what he valued about the area - all on rollerblades! Cole has always got involved with youth consultation events and has earned a reputation for being bright, enthusiastic and energetic.

His efforts to run the Santa five-kilometre event to raise cash for charity have also been applauded, and these have formed part of a community film that residents have recently finished making. Community groups he has been involved with include children's charity SELFA, Dreamscheme, the Army Cadets and the Baptist Youth Group.

He is also a talented singer and dancer and is always ready to take part in school and community performances and, say residents, is always polite, courteous and willing to give a helping hand when needed.