A charity committed to teaching children across the world drowning prevention and swimming skills is looking for a new trustee.
UK-based SwimTayka, whose mission is to turn the tide on global drowning statistics, is looking for another volunteer to join its five-strong board of trustees.
The charity – whose founder, Bryan Avery, is based in Wiltshire – particularly wants someone with legal knowledge, who can help steer SwimTayka as it seeks to increase its impact through grant-giving.
“SwimTayka is moving into a major new chapter,” said Bryan. “We’ve successfully built a great international reputation for our drowning-prevention lessons for children. Now, we’re expanding our work by setting up a transparent, structured way to give financial grants to other, like-minded organisations.”
SwimTayka was set up eight years ago, to run drowning prevention programmes for children living alongside the world’s oceans, lakes or rivers but where access to swimming lessons is limited or non-existent. Globally, around 236,000 people drown every year, and drowning is among the top ten causes of death for children and young people.
SwimTayka partners with local charities in locations including Brazil, Peru, Uganda, and Indonesia, to run swimming programmes, sourcing volunteers to help with the lessons, and training local swim instructors. Next year, a pilot programme is being launched in the UK, to reach children from under-served communities.
Now the charity wants to expand its grant-giving role, with the help of a strong board of trustees.
Bryan said: “We are looking for a new trustee to join our committed board, to lead us in this next step. We need people who are strategic thinkers, make sound choices, and are committed to safety and fairness. Together, they will help design our new grant programme so it can eventually be used in the UK, and in every country where SwimTayka operates.
“Becoming a SwimTayka trustee means helping ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the chance to learn to swim, gain confidence, and stay safe around water.”
For more information about the trustee role, visit https://swimtayka.org/job/trustee-swimtayka, or email bryan@swimtayka.org. The closing date for applications is 28 February, 2026.
Article by Jo Smyth, Word Worker
