A 97-YEAR-OLD Dorset daughter of a swimming coach was delighted to cause a splash at a special pool.

Joyce Ware, who lives at Newstone House in Sturminster Newton, took her first dip in years recently at the Stour Connect hydrotherapy pool in the town.

And the former teacher said she would like to spend more time in the water after her 45-minute private session.

Supported by Newstone House and Stour Connect staff, Joyce said the trip rekindled fond memories of swims when she was a girl and as an adult in various locations here and overseas.

“I really enjoyed my time in the pool and it brought back so many memories. I didn’t want to leave. I could have swum for hours. If we could do this every week, it would be amazing,” she said.

Back in the 1920s, Joyce’s mother was a swimming coach and ensured her daughter learned to swim from when she was a toddler.

As a girl she swam in Whitley Bay near Newcastle and, when evacuated to Keswick during the Second World War, she enjoyed dips in the Lake District.

Working as a science teacher in Egypt after the war was over, she recalls swimming in the much warmer waters of the River Nile.

Joyce, right, enjoying her swim alongside
care co-ordinator, Lucy England

Karlene Horswill, companionship team leader at Newstone House, said: “Joyce has been a lover of swimming since she was young and continued to swim until she came to Newstone House. She was originally with us for respite care and then became a longer-term resident two years ago.

“During a reminiscence activity, she revealed her love of swimming as a child in Whitley Bay and in Dorset when she moved here with her family.

“Stour Connect is our home’s chosen charity this year so we got in contact with them and arranged the session specially for her.”

As well as Karlene, Joyce was accompanied on the visit by the home’s Care Co-ordinator Lucy England, who joined her in the seven-metre-by-three-metre pool.

For Karlene and Lucy, seeing the mother-of-two take to the water was a joy. Karlene said: “It was so heart-warming to see Joyce smiling as she went into the pool.

“She surprised us by still being able to swim so well after all these years. She enjoyed every moment.

“It just goes to show that when it comes to doing something you love, it’s never too late to dip your toe in the water.”

The hydrotherapy pool, in Stour Connect’s community resource centre in Stourview Close, is run by Neptune Aquatic Solutions.