Unity Swimming
Our Story
Founded on the belief that swimming should be safe, welcoming, and accessible for everyone, especially those who’ve been excluded.
Our Story
Unity Swimming History
In 2022, Katrice Rodrigues founded Unity Swimming CIC after years of people from Black and Asian communities asking the same question: “Do you teach adults?”
As a competitive swimmer in the late 80s and early 90s in Leicester, Katrice was often the only Black swimmer in the pool. Three decades later, she’s still often the only one in the room, now as a Swim England Tutor delivering swim teacher qualifications across the UK.
The lack of diversity isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s deadly!
- Black children are 7 times more likely to drown than White children
- Asian children are 3.5 times more likely to drown than White children
- 95% of Black adults and 80% of Black children don’t participate in swimming regularly
- Less than 1% of Team GB Aquatics is from diverse backgrounds
These disparities aren’t biological, they’re systemic. Cultural barriers, economic barriers, psychological barriers, and the absence of representation all contribute to keeping entire communities away from water.
Unity Swimming exists to change that, one lesson, one swimmer, one community at a time.
Our Mission
To increase diversity in swimming and aquatics across the UK by:
Providing safe, culturally responsive swimming lessons for Black and Asian communities
Supporting people from marginalised backgrounds to access swimming and aquatic activities
Training and recruiting diverse swim teachers to create representation in the workforce
Advocating for systemic change at local, regional, and national levels
Our Vision
A future where:
Our Values
Equity
We don’t just offer equal access, we actively work to remove the barriers that have kept communities excluded.
Representation
When you see someone who looks like you succeeding, you know it’s possible for you too.
Community
Swimming shouldn’t feel isolating. We create spaces where you belong.
Excellence
Our teaching is expert, evidence-based, and trauma-informed.
Empowerment
We believe in your capacity to overcome fear, learn new skills, and reclaim your relationship with water.
Meet Katrice Rodridues
Katrice Rodrigues is a Swim England Tutor, Advanced Aquaphobia Coach, and competitive swimmer with nearly 30 years of teaching experience.
As a Black girl swimming competitively in Leicester in the late 80s and early 90s, Katrice was acutely aware that no one looked like her. That isolation shaped her mission: to ensure the next generation doesn’t have to swim alone.
In 2019, Katrice became a Swim England Tutor, delivering swim teacher qualifications across the UK. In 2022, she founded Unity Swimming CIC to address the lack of diversity in swimming participation and workforce.
In 2023, she trained as an Advanced Aquaphobia Coach with the Institute of Aquaphobia, which led to the founding of Swim Fearless, a service specifically for people whose fear of water is holding them back from learning to swim.
Katrice is also a keynote speaker and trainer, educating the aquatics industry about diversity, inclusion, and aquaphobia. She’s passionate about using data, lived experience, and evidence-based coaching to create systemic change.
Learn more about Katrice’s other work:
Meet the Unity Swimming Directors
Our directors bring expertise in community development, education, aquatics, health and social care, youth work and business management and share a commitment to making swimming accessible and inclusive.
Reg
Click here to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Merlyn
Click here to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Dominic
Click here to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Katrice
Click here to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Meet Our Swim Teachers
Our teaching team are all experienced Swim England qualified, and are passionate about creating welcoming, effective learning environments for swimmers from all backgrounds.
Katrice
Sinead
Matthew
Kerry
Emily
Louise
Zahra
Lonnie
Amy
Charley
Volunteer Helper
Ready to join Unity Swimming?
Book a call and get your 1st lesson FREE