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Discover the history of swimming, swimwear and swim equipment at British Pathe

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:14:00 +0000

I've always loved antiques and recently this hobby unearthed the on line presence of British Pathe. They are one of the oldest media companies in the world with a film archive from 1896-1976. My two greatest passions (all things vintage and swimming) have now been combined into a new obsession - the history of swimming, swim equipment and swim fashions!

The journey started on E-bay when I spotted this vintage Schiaparelli swimsuit previously owned by Melva Moreno who was a Skating Vanities star of the 1940's. Keen to discover more about this glamorous roller skating troupe I did a Google search and found some wonderful film clips on British Pathe. From that moment on I and everyone else at FunSwimShop was hooked.

Swimming Lesson 1926

Speaking of hooked... take a look at this children's swimming lesson from 1926 where the child is hanging from chains in the water. You'll be pleased to know nothing like that goes on at a Seriously Fun swimming lesson!

There are some fascinating clips of prototype swimming aids which we all take for granted today. Fins or flippers were once known as "Water Pushers", hand paddles were once known as "arm fins", and someone using both together at the same time was known as the "Human Fish or Plate Swimmer"!

Hairstyle Swim Cap!

Swim wear and swim cap fashion shows have provided the most entertainment but none more than the 'hairstyle' swim cap (left) and the swim cap with a glamorous stick on fringe!

We've heard that retro swim caps are set to make a comeback but we think you all feel more comfortable with the streamlined swim caps available today.

What do you think? Can you send us any swim cap crimes of fashion from the family albums? Looking forward to hearing from you...

Swim training and protecting your hair against chlorine damage

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:19:00 +0000

That's me in the middle, nervously waiting for the start of the swim

Last year I learned to swim and took part in the British Gas Great London Swim in the River Thames. I managed to complete the one mile course in a rather slow 1 hour, 33 minutes and 13 seconds, but at least I finished and raised over £500 for the Child Bereavement Charity. Not bad really for someone who could not swim 25 metres at the start of 2010!

One year on I should be older and wiser, but I'm pleased to report I'm doing it all over again and this time I mean business with a target of under 45 minutes. It's only February but I am already squeezing in 4 training sessions a week exposing myself to chlorine damage. It would be wise to protect my hair with one of the many adult swim caps available on the market but last year I resisted until the day of the swim when it was compulsory.

Chlorine is used in swimming pools as a disinfectant, however it removes the natural protective oils of the hair and scalp causing a severe drying effect. If the hair is not rinsed post swim and the chlorine is left to dry the hair becomes brittle and prone to breaks as well as splitting.

This year I will be 47, so as you can imagine my hair is already suffering dehydration from the natural ageing process! That being the case I thought I had better research some preventative measures to combat chlorine damage.

You may feel silly in a swim cap but they do keep your hair safe from the harsh chemicals in the water. Besides things have moved on a lot since the 1950's and you no longer have to endure a frilly, floral bathing cap!

If you are against swim caps, read on:

Always soak your hair in the shower before getting into the pool. If your hair has already absorbed lots of fresh water there will be little room left in the hair shaft for chemicals.

Don't allow chlorinated hair to dry without washing, since this increases the chances of drying and breakage. Wash your hair with a shampoo that is specially formulated to dissolve chlorine (look for sodium thiosulfate in the ingredients).

Condition hair after every wash and alternate a regular conditioner with a deep-conditioning treatment once a week to keep hair moisturised. There are many different products available including Circle of Friends pre-swim conditioner and swimmer's shampoo for children. The Paul Mitchell range includes Shampoo Three which removes chlorine and Philip Kingsley have a product called Swimcap which can be applied to the hair before swimming.

If you are a regular swimmer please leave us a comment about your favourite swim caps, shampoos, conditioners and other hair and skincare tips.

FunSwimShop products used by Jack Black in Gulliver's Travels

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Move over 'Daffy Duck', there's a new star in Hollywood

Last weekend I finally took my daughter to see the 20th Century Fox adaptation of Jonathan Swift's classic, Gulliver's Travels. Back in 2009 FunSwimShop supplied the props department at Pinewood Studios with a large selection of swimming equipment, so we were excited to see how many items we could spot on the silver screen.

For those of you who have seen the film, when Jack Black (Lemuel Gulliver) is on the yacht about to be ship wrecked our googly eyed bath duck flies out of the locker when he is rummaging through our buoyancy aids.

Not many people can say their bath duck has rubbed shoulders with a Hollywood star. We have suggested his name to Cancer Research UK for the next range of celebrity designed bath ducks!

Free Swimming with Schweppes

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Chances are you're already detoxing your way through January and drinking lots of lovely water.

You may have also taken the plunge and started swimming in it as well in order to shed those Christmas pounds and get fit in 2011.

Once you have invested in a few swim training aids the good news is you won't have to 'spend a penny' in the pool! Well, not if you've been drinking Schweppes Abbey Well water...

The Schwim Free promotion ends on 2nd February 2011, so grab that Schwim cap and enjoy some free swimming before it's too late.

Have a very happy and healthy 2011.

Christmas craft using a pool noodle

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:44:00 +0000

As the schools are about to break up we wanted to share this lovely Christmas craft project to make gigantic candy cane decorations from pool noodles. The instructions are based around the hollow pool noodles available in the U.S.A., however you could easily adapt the idea to use the solid pool noodles commonly available in the U.K.

The candy cane is formed by bending one end of the pool noodle into a candy cane shape and then tying the bent end to the body with any kind of clear string. Wrap white ribbon around the noodle to give the candy cane stripe, and secure with pins as you go along.

What a great idea to brighten up your local swimming pool over the festive season!

If you try this project then please upload your photos to our Facebook page. Alternatively we would love to hear any other crafty ideas using pool noodles.

Wetsuit for Pierre the Penguin

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:23:00 +0000

Back in 2008 a penguin at the California Academy of Sciences was fitted with a wetsuit.

Pierre was then 25 years old and his feathers were thinning and not growing back. Poor Pierre was shivering and uncomfortable without the protection of his feathers. (A feeling I could identify with this summer before I discovered the benefits of wearing a shortie or full length wetsuit on holiday).

The Academy's senior aquatic biologist Pam Schaller was familiar with the warmth wetsuits provide for humans so she set about designing a neoprene suit for Pierre.

Pamela has written a paper called Why and How to Make a Penguin Wetsuit, where you can read the whole story and see more photos of Pierre and even patterns for the penguin wetsuit.

So, next time you are shopping for a wetsuit to keep you warm, spare a smile and a thought for Pierre the penguin who I believe is still alive and well at the Academy.

Furniture designed from Pool Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:36:00 +0000

We just had to share this stunning creation by designer Valera Velev based in Lynn, Massachusetts.

This quirky project called "Noodles" was intended to show that furniture can be created out of the most unusual materials, even pool noodles. Valera found one of the most interesting aspects to be that noodles can be twisted in any number of ways, ensuring every chair is unique.

Have you made something out of pool noodles? If so we would love to hear from you.

Insulate your pipes with hollow pool noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:24:00 +0000

These hollow round pool noodles are available from FunSwimShop USA, so for all our American customers this one is for you.

Cut a slit down the side of each noodle using a sharp box cutter knife. You can then use the noodles to wrap any pipes which may freeze in sub zero temperatures.

A stitch in time saves nine!

Please leave a comment if you have other interesting uses for your pool noodle.

Introducing Snoozeshade - The Blackout Blind for Prams and Pushchairs

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:38:00 +0000

My daughter is now eight years old so this invention is unfortunately too late for me. When she was a baby I remember wishing on a daily basis that such a product existed. I firmly believed in her following a routine and taking naps in a darkened environment, but I also couldn't face being trapped in the house all day long. I'm therefore delighted to help spread the word about SnoozeShade® to other parents.

SnoozeShade is a universal fit buggy and pram blackout blind designed to fit most popular brands of three- and four-wheel prams and pushchairs with hoods or sun canopies. Your pushchair must have a standard one-per-child hood/sun canopy to fit a SnoozeShade. It is the solution to draping blankets and coats over the pushchair to try and get your baby off to sleep.

By blocking out light, sun and distractions Snoozeshade aids your baby to sleep in the pram or pushchair when you have to be on the go. Snoozeshade is excellent for holidays as the fabric has UPF50+ (the highest rating of sun protection). However as the baby can not see through the Snoozeshade fabric, it should only be used for naps rather than an alternative to full sun shades through which the baby can see out.

Let us know how you get on with your Snoozeshade. (It works for Denise van Outen!)

Life Jacket or Life Saving Hat?

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:52:00 +0000

Last night I stumbled across this very amusing invention by Samuel W. White. It's a "hat to prevent drowning" which was patented on October 14, 1840. Apparently he must have been inspired by the invention of the rubber balloon by Michael Faraday in 1825.

What did the "Dragon's" of the time make of this invention I wonder, and was it ever tested?

I couldn't help but wonder how we progressed from the "hat to prevent drowning" to the life jackets we have today. Some sources credit the modern life jacket to Captain Ward of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1854 he created a cork vest to be worn by lifeboat crews for both weather protection and buoyancy. However, according to an article in the New York Times the first American patent for an "inflatable life preserver" was given to Peter Markus in 1928 with improvements in 1930 and 1931.This jacket is thought to have saved the lives of 98 of 100 men when the Macon crashed in the Pacific in 1935.

The Californian inventor named Andrew Toti is thought to have improved the vest by adding a crotch strap to prevent the inflated chest panels from riding up. The bulky device was heavily used by the U.S. military during WWII where it received the nickname "The Mae West".

The "Mae West"

Since then there have been many advances and improvements to modern day life jackets, but I hope you've enjoyed the information I've been able to unearth.

Modern Life Jacket

Seven Sharks a SwimFin...

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:18:00 +0000

Festive Fin

Without the Christmas fin-ery...

Make learning to swim fun this Christmas with a gift of the revolutionary SwimFin swimming aid.

Worn on the back the effects of the SwimFin are self adjusting as the child progresses from beginner through to advanced swimmer. A beginner's body is lower in the water therefore the SwimFin is more submerged which gives the swimmer more support. As confidence and ability grows the body position will become more horizontal which raises the SwimFin out of the water giving the child less support.

It can be used to teach all four strokes and when lessons are done the SwimFin can simply be used for fun and games playing "shark".

We hope you like our suggestion for wrapping this gift, and we would love to see your photos if you come up with any other disguises!

Huggies Swim Nappy Video Gets 3,991 Views!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathon Madden) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:07:00 +0000

By far, the most popular of our YouTube videos to date!

It must be something about the way Carla describes the Huggies Swim Nappies that people just love :)

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathon Madden) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:24:00 +0000

We've had some fantastic and scary photos posted on our Facebook Page, thanks to all of you and great looking pumpkins!

You're never too old!

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:57:00 +0000

Last night I stumbled across a very interesting report in the Welwyn and Hatfield Times about Mr Andy Nation who at the age of 60 has launched his latest fund raising event...

Swimming 147 miles from London to Calais in 2012 (that's a length of the Thames followed by the Channel) to raise £1 million for charity!

You can understand why I would be impressed having taken 73 minutes to swim a mere mile in the Thames earlier this year. Andy is expecting the swim to take 14 days, and the money raised will be split between Hertfordshire MS Therapy Centre and the Herts Air Ambulance.

Andy has been fund raising (and clearly a great swimmer) since 1970 when he swam 240 lengths of Barkingside Swimming Pool to raise £400 for a cancer charity. Quite an achievement in those days without the benefit of Just Giving, Facebook and Twitter to name just a few.

Do take a look at Andy's event page Teddington to Calais 2012 and read more about this extraordinary challenge and ways in which you might be able to help him reach his target. As well as Just Giving, there is an autograph book and an auction after the swim.

Good luck Andy from all of us at FunSwimShop, we will follow your training with great interest!

Hunks in Trunks!

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:11:00 +0000

Jon "the hunk" and FunSwimShop Carla

Yesterday temperatures were rising at the FunSwimShop office and no, I wasn't having a middle aged moment! Just a natural reaction to a couple of visiting hunks in trunks!

If you've not heard of this competition then nip over to the Aussie Facebook page to find out more.

You can apply to win a Hair Rescue and if you're selected then the product arrives at your office in a purple Lifeguard truck and is presented to you by two strapping young men in purple shorts.

Jon, Carla and Drew

I wish everything I ordered off the internet came with that kind of Postage & Packing!

I decided to enter as I had put my hair under a lot of stress this year and it could use a treat. Firstly swimming four or five times a week whilst training for the British Gas Great London Swim, closely followed by the FunSwimShop World Bog Snorkelling Championships.

I tried to forget about how bad my hair was getting taking inspiration from something my 8 year old daughter said to me.

"Who cares about hair when there's adventure in the air!"

However I could no longer ignore the fact my hair needed some pampering and that is the only reason I entered the competition... well that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I will now have to teach her the Aussie hair quote which is:

"There's more to life than hair, but it's a good place to start!"

Why wear a wetsuit?

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:15:00 +0000

Well I'm not quite sure why I waited 46 years before owning one, but I can tell you I will never be without one again! This summer my 7 year old daughter also wore a wetsuit for the first time and we both breezed through a rather windy Welsh summer holiday without whinging about the cold.

This year I learned to swim and took part in the British Gas Great London Swim. I wriggled into full length black neoprene for the first time and was at the mercy of the Thames for one hour and 13 minutes as I tried to complete this one mile swim.

The cold only started to bite in the last ten minutes and from that moment on I realised what I had missed out on all my life! You can see from the holiday photos that we had the beach almost to ourselves as everyone else was feeling way too fragile to brave the waves without a wetsuit for protection. I felt like a Super Hero as I was able to go into the waves with my daughter and supervise her body boarding fun.

Other parents entrusted me with the few children who were brave enough to venture in wearing only swim trunks or costumes. I would not have let my daughter go in alone, so with the 'old Mummy' her holiday would have been nowhere near as much fun.

The wetsuit also served to protect my modesty as I was able to go and play with her in a water park in the middle of the holiday village. It was surrounded by food and drink outlets and being the wrong side of forty I would not have felt comfortable running around in a costume with lots of adult onlookers.

If you are planning to get away during the October Half Term I can strongly recommend packing a wetsuit. Check out our full range for all the family.

Let us know how you got on with any of our products and upload a photograph on Facebook to share with other readers.

The FunSwimShop World Bog Snorkelling Championships

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:46:00 +0000

Dame Julia Galvin

We're 'flushed' with success and back on solid ground following the FunSwimShop World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells on Sunday 29th August. Phillip Madden and I actually took part and brought World Championship Medals back to Buckinghamshire! There is even a video of our medal winning performances!

Phill 'The Medal' Madden

To compete in this wacky Welsh sport you must don the essential mask, snorkel and flippers and complete two consecutive lengths of a 60 yard bog trench using flipper power alone. Fancy dress is optional but strongly encouraged as this is the real highlight of the day.

The serious competitors produced new World Record times with Dan Morgan becoming the Male World Champion and Dineka Maguire taking the Ladies title. The fancy dress entries were so creative this year with notable entries including a pantomime horse, water dragons, a dalek and a rather hairy Snow White! The ultimate winner had to be two ladies dressed as a pantomime horse for the effort and ingenuity involved in making their own costume complete with snorkel holes built in to the horse’s head and rear end! Well done to Anne-Marie Beresford Webb and Eva Walters.

Ellie and Arrun Jones

The event is very popular with fundraisers and the day kicked off with Ellie (14) and Arrun (9) Jones from Abergavenny each snorkelling two lengths of the bog to raise money for Ty Hafan Children's Hospice. They don't have a JustGiving page so if you would like to support these fantastic kids please call 07811482832. When I look at their photo I feel quite ashamed of myself for putting on a full length wetsuit before I could be coaxed into the bog. Ellie and Arrun, I promise to do better next year.

Ireland’s Julia Galvin is a legendary figure on the Bog Snorkelling Circuit and she had just been bestowed the title of Dame Julia Galvin by the Hutt River Province, Western Australia for representing and promoting the Principality at International Novelty Sports.

We had the most amazing weekend in Wales and met some wonderful people. It is hard to believe Sheelagh Tompkins and everyone at Green Events are all volunteers and have done this for 25 years simply for the reward of bringing visitors to their beautiful town. For the funniest August Bank Holiday weekend ever, we can highly recommend a visit to the World Bog Snorkelling Championships.

See you all 'neighxt' year?

Fundraiser Extraordinaire - Joel Hicks

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:39:00 +0000

This year FunSwimShop became the sponsors of the 25th World International Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrytd Wells, Wales. The event took place on Sunday 29th August and attracted record number of crowds and competitors, especially in the fancy dress category. A lot of the fancy dress entries were raising money for charity and I wanted to share some of the wonderful stories with you.

Who would have thought that the face behind the Grim Reaper was none other than Joel Hicks (fundraiser extraordinaire), who was making a welcome return to the bog snorkelling scene for the first time since 2006.

Joel's website is called always with a smile and his remarkable journey all began with the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in 2006.

After a fantastic day, during which he performed a bog snorkelling "Haka", he began to wonder what other weird, wonderful and wacky events he could get involved in, in order to raise money for good causes and to just put a smile on people's faces.

By the end of that year he had taken part in the Great Gorilla Run in London, a number of multi-terrain cross country races, as well as a Santa Dash in Liverpool where he was chosen from more than 5000 runners to receive the 'Best Dressed Santa' award .

He travels all across the UK and abroad competing in crazy sports, weird championships and absurd traditions in order to raise money for various local and national charities, whilst putting a smile on the face of as many people as he possibly can! Always in fancy dress, no event is too outrageous, too muddy, too wet or too wacky! Whether he's falling, flying, diving, running, jumping or crawling you can guarantee he'll be taking part.

Please visit always with a smile to see what else Joel has been up to recently and perhaps make a donation while you are there?

Personally I preferred the bog snorkelling outfit from 2006!

Girl Power Meets Horsepower!

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:24:00 +0000

This year FunSwimShop became the sponsors of the 25th World International Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrytd Wells, Wales. The event took place on Sunday 29th August and we knew that we were in for a special treat! However nothing could prepare us for the bizarre spectacle of all the competitors clad in neoprene, next to nothing, or unbelievable fancy dress plunging into the unknown depths of the bog!

Most of the fancy dress entries seem to have a 'tail' to tell and my first muddy buddy is no exception. I would like to introduce you to the world's first bog snorkelling pantomime horse!

Eva Walters and Anne-Marie Beresford Webb were the front and back end respectively of 'Black Beauty' and took part in the event to raise money for cancer charities. Eva raised approximately £900 for Macmillan in memory of her grandmother and Anne-Marie raised approximately £750 for Velindre Cancer Centre in memory of her mum and dad.
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.Velindre Cancer Centre is the largest non-surgical cancer hospital in Wales, providing Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and other specialised anti-cancer treatments for over half the people in Wales.

This event alone was a fantastic effort by both girls and more than some of us will raise for charity in a lifetime. However Anne-Marie is not finished yet! She has taken part in a number of events throughout the year and will shortly be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro! Not only that but when she returns to Wales she will take part in the Cardiff Half Marathon as well! You can read all about it by visiting her JustGiving page and hopefully you might be inspired to leave her a donation. I think she deserves it, don't you?

Get Well Soon Holly Walsh!

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:36:00 +0000

A comedian and children's TV Presenter was due to take part in the FunSwimShop World Bog Snorkelling Championships this Sunday, 29th August 2010.

Holly Walsh took part in the annual Worthing International Birdman Festival to raise money for Rainbow Children's Hospice. Unfortunately the home-made helicopter crash landed and Holly suffered a bad fracture above the elbow as well as a dislocated shoulder.

Obviously Holly has had to pull out of the Bog Snorkelling, but we wish her a speedy recovery and hope that she gives it a go in 2011.

Fancy a dirty weekend?

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:05:00 +0000

The pressures of modern life can really put a strain on relationships, so with the Bank Holiday ahead of you it would be the perfect time to arrange a long dirty weekend away from it all.

I'm planning one myself and the right clothing can make you feel much more adventurous! I don't want to forget anything so I've made a list including my full length wetsuit, flippers, mask and snorkel. Everything you need to take part in the FunSwimShop World Bog Snorkelling Championships 2010, on Sunday 29th August in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

Yes, Bog Snorkelling! What did you think I meant?

We're very excited and looking forward to meeting everyone including one of the most famous participants, Julia Galvin, who kindly agreed to be our poster girl.

Congratulations to our Chicago expo $50 voucher winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Carla L) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:58:00 +0000

Congratulation goes to Raven Sullivan winner of $50 to spend at www.funswimshop.com. Raven's name was drawn from our competition at the Bebe Paluzza Expo in Chicago.

Keep your ears protected while swimming

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathon Madden) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:36:00 +0000

Putty Buddies are soft, comfortable silicone ear plugs. Extra soft silicone means more comfort and better fit and the extra tacky texture keeps ear plugs in place for maximum effectiveness.

Putty Buddies silicone ear plugs are reusable and should be stored in the handy carrying case. Discard the ear plugs when they become dirty or lost their tackiness.

Our Whales are on the 'Orca Corker'!

noreply@blogger.com (FunSwimShop) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:02:00 +0000

ORCA is the marine conservation charity dedicated to forging links between people and the sea. ORCA is committed to the study of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and promoting their conservation through enthusing, inspiring and educating others.

This year they have organised an 'ORCA Corker' cruise across the Bay of Biscay to celebrate their tenth anniversary and we were excited to provide Brittany Ferries with our inflatable friends for a little theming on board the mv Pont-Aven.

If you are still looking for a special short break this summer why not join the celebratory trip from 18th-20th August? Book directly with Brittany Ferries, you'll have a whale of a time!

Pool Noodles: 'How do you use yours?'

noreply@blogger.com (FunSwimShop) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:07:00 +0000

We thought we would share one of the many interesting uses our customers find for the humble pool noodle. If you thought these cylinders of polyethylene foam were only useful when learning to swim then think again!

Kendo meaning "Way of the Sword" is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu. Wooden swords are used as inexpensive subsitutes in training, but can cause injury when the protective competition armour seen below is not being worn. Our customer has found that pool noodles are the perfect shape and material to pad the wooden swords thus minimising any training injuries!

Pool Noodles: 'How do you use yours?'