ttendees: Below are a few questions for you to answer but please feel free to add any other comments you may have.
Attendee here...we were late to the party (in terms of being a waiting list family) so thank you for choosing us and sorry to whichever family was unable to attend.... (Hope you are feeling better moldingsunbeams?). It was a lovely, unexpected surprise and caused great excitement with both DCs.
- What was your and your DCs overall experience of the Speedo VIP day? Could you describe the day to non attenders?
We arrived so early that we seemed to totally by-pass the signing in! Michelle-Mumsnet thought we'd not gone (we have better manner than that!). The pool was well-signposted and there were plenty of Speedo VIP Day signs and balloons. It looked as if we were going to be in for a fun day and we were!
It was a bit difficult to tell who was in charge at the poolside and there were many swimming teachers there together with Steve Parry (who I didn't recognise for my sins!). A very affable guy! The teachers all seemed really lovely and good with the children regardless of age or ability.
It was a whacky day of swimming fun with some good tips for the less confident swimmers and the beginners. I thought the swim teachers were excellent at juggling at needs of the different ability children in their groups. Free swim time at the end was fun for family time too!
Only negative was that the quality family time meant that we were late to go up to eat. As DwellsUndertheSink has already commented, the lunch table had been stripped bare so the nutritious and wholesome choice that I'm sure was there for those early to the trough, wasn't by the end (although more food did arrive just as most people were leaving) and again nowhere to sit...
- Did you find the swimming lessons and Q&A with the Speedo ambassador helpful and informative, or not? If so, why? If not, why not? What questions did you ask and what response did you get?
I'm not sure that there was a Q&A session as we stayed down at the poolside straight after the official swimming session had finished. There was no mention that there was going to be one and if so it certainly didn't happen in the swimming pool area - maybe upstairs where lunch took place? It would have been informative to have the opportunity to attend and I had several questions to ask....
- What did you think about the Speedo products shown to you on the day? Did you like them, or not? Do you think you'd be likely to purchase any in the future? If so, why? If not, why not?
We really liked all of them - except they were very gender-stereotypical in terms of colour-ways! I loved the poncho towels and the strap on shark fins in particular! The swimming wear was good too! The children liked the swimming pool games and the blow-up sharks to have fun with!
- What was your DCs highlight of the day?
Meeting an Olympic swimming star and just having fun in the pool. Oh and the goodies bags went down very well to - so thank you!
- Do you think the day overall helped encourage your children, and yourself perhaps, to go swimming more often and / or to learn to swim?
Yes, indeed. DD starts her official school swimming lessons next week so this was a good way to kick-start it. We will be endeavouring to make it part of our weekend routine because it's a cheap and healthy way to have fun family time.
If you took any pictures on the day feel free to upload them onto this thread. Remember, however, only to take and upload pictures of your own children.
Sorry DS had locked his camera in the locker so I didn't take any!