Alec Swim Coach

09/04/2026

Frustrated by public lane swimming sessions?

Want to get more out of an hour in the pool?

Sign up for our Swim-Fit "Squad" for the Spring and Summer. Starting 21st April

Work to a challenging set, in a lane appropriate for your pace and fitness with coaching input too. Some swimmers even claim to have fun during the sessions 😉

We have 6 spaces on Tuesday evenings at 8:00pm
Currently 4 spaces for Wednesday mornings at 6:45am
One Space for Thursday evenings at 8:00pm
The link below takes you to all the sessions we offer - look for the "Squad" ones
Any questions - please message me directly

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/portishead-springsummer-adult-swim-courses-2026-4820872?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=creatorshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

30/03/2026

One to One Swim Coaching

Starting from 23rd April, I will be offering 1-2-1 coaching sessions for individuals on Thursday evenings between 7:00pm and 8:00pm at Portishead Open Air Pool

This is to improve your existing stroke, and help you to reach your swimming goals. I am not (yet) providing "learn to swim" lessons on a 1-2-1 basis.

£35 for a 25 minute session at either 7:00pm or 7:30pm. If you feel a longer session would benefit you, that is also possible.

If you are interested, or would like to discuss how I can help with your particular swim targets, please message me directly. If you have an upcoming open water event you would like help to prepare for, do get in touch!

23/03/2026

Well worth considering.....

🌊Portishead Open Air Pool & Café Lido is one of our town's most treasured community spaces — and we need passionate, skilled people to help us lead it.
We're looking for Trustees to join our Board and we have specific seats at the table for experts in:
👥 HR & Staff Management
☕ Hospitality & Catering
✅ Quality, Health & Safety
💰 Finance, Payroll & Accounting
This is your chance to make a real difference to your community while growing professionally alongside a dedicated, passionate team.
📧 Get in touch: [email protected] and find out how you can dive in

22/03/2026

“Learn Front Crawl” Courses for Adults!

Love being in the water, but Front Crawl seems to elude you?

Sign up for one of our 13 week courses on Tuesday or Thursday evenings starting in Late April.

UPDATE - Spaces only left on Thursday at 8:00pm. Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings now SOLD OUT.

This is our seventh year delivering these “Beginners” courses. They always sell out and have long waiting lists.

Delivered by a small, longstanding team of experienced and patient coaches, in the spectacular location of Portishead Open Air Pool.

Follow the link below for more details, and to see the full range of other courses and swim-training sessions on offer.

3 spaces left on Tuesdays.
6 spaces left on Thursdays
Wednesday mornings – SOLD OUT

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/portishead-springsummer-adult-swim-courses-2026-4820872?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=creatorshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

Any questions, please message me directly

15/03/2026

Swimming Courses and Swim Training for Adults!

We are thrilled to be back for our ninth year at Portishead Open Air Pool
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Wednesday mornings in the Spring and Summer.
Starting on the 21st April and running until mid July. There are a full range of courses available from learning front crawl, right through to full-on swim-fit style training. This link takes you to a brief description of each course:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oeWcplTEQ4gd1cf9mcDbMqFxndSyhahP/view?usp=sharing

BOOKING HERE (and more details) on this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/portishead-springsummer-adult-swim-courses-2026-4820872?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=creatorshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

If the course you want is full by the time you try to book PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE WAITING LIST. This gets you into the system for an earlier chance to book for the next round of courses, but also helps me to gauge demand. It would also the first place we look to populate anything additional we may be able to offer.
If you have questions, message me directly - please do not rely on me responding to comments on shared posts!
Previous course swimmers - you should already have received an email inviting you to book early. Message me if you haven't spotted it.
These are 13 week courses, 1 hour per week. Costs range from £152 for the Beginners courses to £116 for the Squad lanes (Plus Eventbrite’s fees, sorry!)

07/03/2026

‼️ DON'T HANG ABOUT! ‼️

Development Pod Tuesday - FULL!
(Only 3 spaces left on Thursdays)

Improvers Course Thursday - FULL!
(Still spaces on Tuesdays at 7:00pm and 8:00pm)

Squad 7:00pm Tuesdays - Only ONE of 21 spaces left
(Still spaces for 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays)

These sessions, (including the Beginners course) go live for public booking on Sunday 15th, so if you've been before or joined a previous waiting list, you need to check your emails for the booking link and get onto it THIS WEEK to avoid missing out.

02/03/2026

🏊 ☀️ Swim Courses and Training at Portishead Lido. ‼️

If you've ever been on a waiting list for one of our courses, then you should have been sent an email with the information you need to book early for the upcoming season.

Please check junk/spam folders

Don't hang about, they are already about half full, and will be opened to all and publicly advertised soon.

27/02/2026

⚠️ CHECK YOUR JUNK FOLDERS ⚠️

Previous recent Portishead Lido Course Swimmers and Squad Swimmers.

Early booking details have been emailed out, so if you haven't seen yours, check junk/spam first, then message me if you still can't find it.

25/11/2025

My last trip to Chippy Lido this year.

It's great to see the positive response to this pool opening for its first cold water season. Huge congratulations to all those involved in getting it off the ground.

Have a dip, use the sauna, warm up in the cafe.

If you're new to it or curious to know more about what cold exposure does to your body and how to safely manage every swim, then get booked onto the Introduction session!

❄️ Our cold water swimmers are generating quite a buzz! If you’re curious but cautious about cold water immersion, we have just one more introduction session with our expert coach Alec before Christmas. He will explain all you need to know and guide you through a first dip.

📚Information and booking links are on The Lido website. Please read thoroughly before booking.

📸

14/11/2025

Cafe Lido at Portishead Open Air Pool opens tomorrow ~(Saturday 15th Nov) after refurbishment.

Be one of the first to plant your bum on my bench!

There are lots of changes, more than just a lick of paint and new furniture - come to see for yourself.

Ignore the comfy new chairs though, and join the queue to experience the bench I am very pleased to have made for the cafe (there are two more on the way soon!)

When I'm not swim-coaching, I'm often found in the workshop. This bench is made from solid oak, utilising off-cuts from a sawmill.

15/10/2025

Fantastic first weekend of cold-water swimming for Chipping Norton Lido.

It was a real privilege to deliver the first of their "Intro to Cold-Water" sessions on the opening morning, then spend a couple of hours soaking up the atmosphere and seeing all the smiles and grimaces in and out of the pool.

I may also have enjoyed a little dip myself, followed by a tasty mug of beetroot soup (still don't quite know how I resisted the bacon sandwich) from the cafe. Worth a visit on its own, to be honest.

There are saunas too!

More Intro sessions over the next few weekends, well worth a road trip and booking on to one of these if you are at all curious about what Cold-Water dipping could do for you and how to keep yourself safe whilst doing it.