Fox Education & Advocacy

Hello and a warm welcome to the Community Connector Show. Today I'm delighted to be chatting to Kristen Fox, inclusive education specialist, send a critics and send advocate at Fox Education and Advocacy. That, I have just read, is a complicated job title and we're going to unpack with Kristen exactly what that means. What is Fox Education and Advocacy and how did it come about? Who does it support? Where is it and how can we all get involved in this fantastic organisation? Music is a real passion of Kristen's as well as send education and advocacy and we are starting with one of his favorite choices. It's Iris by the Goo Goo Doss. And I give up forever to touch you because I know that you feel missing out. You're the closest heaven that I'll ever be and I don't want to go home. All I know, and all I could taste is this moment, and all I could breathe is your light. Those pseudo-ledgers over, I just don't want to miss you tonight. And I don't want the world to see me, because I don't think that they'd understand when everything's night to be broken. I just want you to know why. And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming, all the moment that truth in your lies. When everything feels like the movie is, yeah you bleed just to know you're alive. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Chris, the anxiety here of making sure I play all of that beautiful song so I know how important it is to you without then going into the next one and doing a spoiler on the music. Welcome to Poppy Lennard, you know. I think you have my absolute pleasure. Tell me about the choice. Why did you choose Kuku Doz to start us with? That was a song that was really important to my wife when she was younger. And I didn't really know why and did I listen to the words. That was a song that she used to bury herself in when she was younger. And now it's more of a happy place song for all of us in our family. It comes on and will in the car and will all end up singing it together. Is a signature song of our family really? Fantastic. Well, for the Fox family and specifically your wife Chris, it was a beautiful, I love it. It's a fantastic, fantastic song. So I said at the beginning and I'm going to try and say it again and this may be the only time perhaps at the beginning that I get your job title correct. It is inclusive education specialist, send a critics and send advocate. Chris, what does this mean? It means it's only what it says but it's taken me 20 years to get to putting that together. And it's never something I aim to have. I never planned to have this giant job title. I specialize in including everyone in everything I do. I'll never turn anybody away. If I can help it, we limit it sometimes by space to teach and time. For everyone has a right to education but it's enabling them to have the right access and the right support to get that education. And the aquatic spirit comes out of me having been a swimmer and then leaving the corporate world and coming back to swim in and then swimming be in that journey that led me to become inclusive and then to discover that I had a bit of a thing for sin. I don't know if I'm a professional educational needs disbeliefs. Never planned it. The lockdown was the change that pushed it through. You kind of need these big events like a big event. Want me back to swimming and lockdown was a big event that pushed me forward in the Fox education and advocacy. Swimming was something that was a passion when you were a child. When did swimming begin as an important part of your life? I'm adopted and mum and dad adopted me. Mum is incredibly processed driven, highly intelligent and never wrong. Mums never are. My mum got an MBE, the services to the administration of science, after a massive career at the Joint Institute supporting the directors. Oh fantastic. And do what she did. You have to be very planned with stuff and know what's going on. And I had they adopted me, bought me up and I had really bad asthma. The doctor said that swimming will make his lung stronger. I did what the doctor said and I started swimming. Unbeknownst to travel at the time, no one knew that I had ADHD, which I got diagnosed and medicated for last year. But the swimming became very quickly who I was and I ended up swimming for a local club in Norwich. And I competed and travelled to the Netherlands, club in the Netherlands. That was really who I was and that swimming and that activity is what sustained me through school in enabled my neurodiversity to kind of vent itself. And then I came back to it when I fell out of love with the corporate world. And that was a big thing to think, okay, I don't want to be in the corporate world. I don't like money. I don't like bonuses. I don't get a bit of any of that. All I'm going to do, I don't like swimming. I like kids, kids great, what you see as we get. I'm going to be a swimming teacher. I'm going to leave the country and go to Hawaii and be a swimming teacher in Hawaii because that'd be really cool. I find a job on the Hawaii State Department website for swimming teacher. I literally followed me a bunch of the guys to swim with and he said, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm going to go with your swimming teacher and all the way." He said, "What are you doing? Come and do it with me." And he had a swim school and I read it all my qualifications for him. I got signed off work so I had plenty of free time. I volunteered for him and that was nearly 20 years ago. Wow. So when you were in this corporate world job, did you lose swimming? Swimming was swimming not part of your life during that period. You get told when you're at school that you need to go and get career and you're going to pass your exams, you'll do A levels, you're probably going to university because you've got the ability, you know, you've got the ability when you focus. That's what as the neurodiverse people get told on all my school reports say, "You're going to get career." So that's what you try and do. I get all the excitement of a new job, I get really good at it, I get bored, I get pain in the neck, I get moved along, I move myself along or I leave. And I get another job, I was excited and that cycle repeated itself through the car trade, through insurance, through finance, through banking. My last job in the corporate world was a big financial institution. I worked there working with a cool centre working with mortgage brokers, I ended up working for the central group IT department, helping install telephony and systems. Every single thing I went to do, I do really well, get really excited, don't get bored. But not with swimming, so how does swimming make you feel? You said, you know, it started as something that was supporting your asthma health, but actually you. It's a big sensory thing swimming. So the science behind it, the hydrostatic pressure of the water is equal on every part of your body. Water is 700 times denser than air. It's like having a great big hug when you're in the water. And if you're in a warm pool and you're having that sensation, it's calming. And when you go under the water, there's no noise. Not like when you put your fingers in your ears, you hear the drum in your body. Yeah, yeah. When you go in the water and you go under, there's nothing. Apart from Frankie Whistle, I've got that you can blow under water. Get the kids love that. That's amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's called the storm whistle. So anybody in life can either get one of those and you'll get everybody out of the pool really quickly. But no, it's a sensory thing. Swimming, the water. And I didn't realise it when I was younger. That the constant work, you know, you'd do 50,000 metres training a week. And you'd think I'm getting fit and strong. But what I was doing was regulating myself. So when I felt this regulated, I'd get on my bike, a bike from Norwich to Kramer. Then I'd go swimming and I'd do an hour and a half in the pool. And when I got older, that got to go into the gym. And I would do everything to the point of physical failure. Because there was no other option. I had to push, push, push. But I know, realise I was looking for that sensation, looking for the dopamine. Looking for my body to regulate itself. And swimming was, what did it the most, more than anything else? You said hydrostatic pressure of water. Yeah, it's just the way it is. So you just might have that as a hug. Yeah. So, if you've got, when you have a baby, a little person and you give them a hug and they squeeze you back, imagine that over your entire body, that feeling. There's nothing, there's no thought behind it. There's nothing, it's just the universe holding you and water holds you. And that led right through everything. And now, with the experience I've got of teaching to them and working with the same community, I see how important that is and I understand how that impacted me. It literally shaped my entire life. But you didn't know that you were neurodiverse when you were a child. No. And you had a recent diagnosis for a physician. Yeah, and the NHS right to choose pathway. I've got an absolutely amazing surgery that I know a lot of people have made about the doctors, but my GP surgery is absolutely amazing. And they put one of the right to choose pathway. And within less than a year of doing that, I was diagnosed ADHD and medicated. And that was a journey. I knew I was different. I knew that there was something about me that made my brain process and things and the way I see things. Very different to everyone else, especially when I was in the corporate world where they were all processed driven. We've got a project we're going to do this target and I'll be like, "Yeah, well, this is how we do it." No, no, we need to plan it. No, no, I know how to do it. And that planet, and we do it, though I was going to do it anyway. We have to sit in wait and then we'll get frustrated. And I wouldn't understand why. Then if someone made a mistake, you'll be really honest with them while you're just your fault, but I'm the director. I'm never wrong. No, no, no, not with the director. You made a mistake. I've no highlight of that to you and you look like it. Yeah, that's tricky. So how did you feel when you got the diagnosis? Did you feel like everything fell into place and I understand more about me? Yeah, it is like, you know you were a chocolate bar, but I didn't know that I was a dairy milk. I could have been a dime. I could have been a galaxy, could have been a Yorkie. I was a dairy milk. That's a fruit and nut dairy milk maybe. I know you're happy being a fruit and nut dairy milk. Yeah, it really does help me to understand who I am, how I process things and what I do. I see patterns and pictures. And I see how things click together. I'm very good at standing back and seeing everything. And then I'll have already come through a conclusion and I've got to work at Hardware Explain that to people that don't see that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. We're going to listen to Emily Sande and when we were talking before we started this show, you said that you've recently rediscovered Emily. In the car on the way here. Oh, that recently. Literally. I played this song to death, amazing vocal, the whole thing's put together beautifully. I'm going to have to go back to the car. ♪ Tell that ♪ ♪ Get your car ♪ ♪ Get your car ♪ ♪ Get your car ♪ ♪ Get your car, get your ♪ ♪ Get your car, get your car ♪ ♪ Get your car, get your car ♪ ♪ Get your car ♪ - Chris, you shared beautifully your story of how you got into swimming as a child. You loved it. It felt like a hug to you. Whilst you didn't have an ADHD diagnosis at the time, it helps you regulate yourself. You recognize that in maybe a subconscious way. And you went into the corporate world as many of us are encouraged to do throughout our early years and actually then took a step back. And it was locked down that made you reassess things. - Locked down made me reassess the Fox education advocate. - Oh, okay. - But what made me leave the corporate world was some really big. - Okay. - So I swam for local club, Norwich Penguins. And there was a guy in my age group Gavin. They lived five minutes from our house and he had a sister, Kaye and Kaye became like my swimming little sister. She was lovely. She was a real pure soul. And he lived in contact with people over time and we had a memorial service for one of our coaches, Ron. He was just absolutely amazing. Just one of the most amazing, inspire as a young people. And we were a Peter Mancroft, one near the forum. I think it was full, it was like standard, very lonely. And you know someone's impacted when it's like that. And Kaye was there and she came walking down the center aisle and I might, Kaye, you're bald, what's going on? Oh, I got cancer. And I'm like, sorry. I've got cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma. So I'm like, that kills you. She goes, yeah, I will. But I'm gonna fight it. Why don't you tell me, we're starting to fall. It's not like, why are you? I'm going to get cancer. So she had Hodgkin's lymphoma. And they did all the manner of things. Stem, cell harvest and clever people in Cambridge. And it was epic. And she went in remission. And then she went and got it again, a different type of cancer. She had a bone marrow transplant. And then that went in remission. And she got more awful stuff. And she called me up one day. And she was staying, her mum's. And I went out to see her. And she told me quite frankly that, I know you're not very happy. I know that you're just not doing things that police you. So I need you to do me a favor. I'm like, yeah, anything. Literally, you're dying of cancer. I will walk through fire for you. I'm going to quit your job and do something that you enjoy that means something to you. Oh, wow, that-- And she looked me in the eye, yeah, because I can't. And I'm like, yeah, because you can't. And because you are. And then not very long later she'd gone. And that was what made me write. She told me, now I can't not do it. I can't let her down. She can't haunt me. She'll tell me off. Well, yes, quite rightly. No. She's quite the character. Oh, and that-- and she'd worked at weight rows and they'd paid to put a bench at Colchester Zoo for her. And we went in and tripped them and saw the bench. And I really hit home that she was right. I had to do something that mattered. And the only thing I could think of was the swimming. Because that was the only thing that bought me peace. And that's what I did. So I was around. Kids great, you know? We said we don't work with kids and animals, but they never lied to you. So I'm going to be a swimmer teacher. Because why was the first idea? But they bumped into a friend. He said, do it with me. Yeah. So did you need what qualifications? Where did it first start? I've done stuff at 16, like my pool bonds, metallic, and teaching assistant and various bits and pieces when I was in a club. And I thought, well, I need to restart fresh, less dimmer qualifications. So it was the amateur swim and association that became from England. I did my level one and my level two, both in the same year. And at that point, I was a qualified swimming teacher. The course is not the most complicated. You know, you're probably talking three weeks of learning for both of them. And I did my life guard course. And you get your own personal liability insurance when you join either the institute of swimming or the STA. And that was it. I was a swimming teacher. And I cast off into the world, teaching other people, learning, no one has swim. Literally, I've made an up as you go along. But with the guidance of other people that have been doing it longer. And then a couple of years after that all started, I bumped into another former swimmer. And where she worked, they just went pool, country club. And they needed a swimming teacher. And I thought, oh, I had to do that. Yeah. A couple of hours on a Wednesday. And then within a year, it was six days a week, one till seven, one day for a day, and nine till four. And then the other day, no breaks. Because you don't have breaks when you haven't fun there. Well, no. I guess I can see where you're coming from. And your passion does-- it zooms from every poor that you have. You're passionate for swimming. When you started those lessons, though, was there a specific niche around send? Special educational needs and disabilities. Or was it lessons for anybody? It was anybody. Anyone wanted a lesson. And all my learners swim, I teach in the pool. All of my lessons, I do, well, I'm in the pool. You know, you don't teach football by sitting on a chair and telling people what to do. I get in, I can swim. This is what I'm going to do. I'll do it. You copy. And the kids did it. It really that simple. And I observe, I support, I guide, I nurture. And like Brother Drive and Lyce, since it says, you've met a certain standard, my teacher qualification said, you've met a certain standard. Now you go and this is where you really learn. Yeah, I will be moved. I will be moved. Drive in the M25 in Russian, that's when you learn. So I did a whole variety of different types of lessons. And then I had a fabulous family come to me on a recommendation. And that was really nice. All of my swimming, the recommendation, were the mouth that seemed me. And they wanted to come along. And I had this family where they'd had swimming lessons that a big regular provide in the city. And they hadn't gone well. And they'd been like a natureian and incident. And the young lad was terrified. Yes. To the point where maybe of me, I was asked, what are we going to do? How are we going to get in the pool? He would not get in the pool. I said, well, we've got two choices. We have the sit and wait for him, which could be forever. Or I'll just pick him up and carry him in the pool. And everyone else would be like, no, you must not do that. You must not physically interact with a child. The child is scared. It's mummous standing on the pool side. She's literally as close as we are now. She's desperate. They kids go on holiday to the grandparents that got on Villa in Spain and they've got swimming pools. He has to be safe. Is the life skill, isn't it swimming? He taught-- we were two layers when you're teaching. Just in case anything happens, and one comes off. And he tore through both my t-shirts. And he drew blood out of my back. He was that scared. And we all we did was sit on the steps. And six, seven weeks later, he's getting in the pool. He's-- he's in a left school now in college. And he, like his brother, they will count you-- they will count you level swimmers. Wow. So from not wanting to get his toes wet, to count you level swimmer. Watching the photos and the videos that parents post on Facebook, and you see this kid who I know was so scared, so scared. Right, if I'd held a gun, or his head, he'd have been less scared. Grizzly bear, less scared. One foot of water, terrifying. Have you talked to him about how it felt when he met that person? I've not talked about how it felt from first day. I've talked to him about how he feels about life now. And what does he say? He's what good life. He's in his brother and his sister, a fab. I just say to his mum, and I say, you really have to have a good job, you two. Good parents, boundaries, guidance, support, love, nurture, somewhere safe at home. Always open to talk. Nothing's-- no topics off-bounds. And the three of the nicest kids you'll ever meet. But someone wasn't on the ball, and he was little. And he could have drawn and died. So I ended that fear, and then that became a bit of a thing. I'll Chris can do that. And then through the same group, the mum that recommended someone else, stunning nonverbal autistic girl, who's still with me now. And I will be with her for the rest of my life. Every week, for an hour, she'll swim and do stuff in the pool. And so she doesn't talk. It's a nice girl that doesn't talk. It's a miracle. It's very cool. The mum was like, "You're not fair, "you're not like a thing." I was just, "Cool, just look at her." You know, I say 80% of communication is nonverbal. 10% is the words, the other 10% is how you say it. The other 80% is everything else. - And what's it like for this young person? Do they love water? Do they come alive? - She is the most natural swimmer in the world. - I will. - Mm-mm. I could throw in a, they've got a diving pit at P-Tan's near the airport where they dropped their helicopter body in as five minutes deep. I could chuck her in there, she wouldn't be bothered. I took her up the UEA when my oldest was lifeguarding and took her in the pool. And apart from him, all the lifeguard's freak tape, 'cause there's a nonverbal autistic child on poolside. And she wasn't getting in. Am I coming, you're going to get in? And we edge during the pool in the deep bit, the deep end of the pool, just like six foot deep. And she did a whole length underwater. 25 meters. And lifeguard's a freak in it. What that man doing, should she be down there and don't she like it, it's cool. This is what Chris does. When I'm sitting up in the chair, it's like, way up, non-pillside. She's trust me. I felt safer with her in the pool than I did with all the other people's human ranks. I don't know what they can do, but I know that she's so safe. She's so natural in the water. And when you swim in with her and you're under the water, I see things that no one else can see. So I've done videos from them. I've got a lovely video that I'm going to spend years. I give to other send parents. You know, they're worried. What can my child achieve? And I do this is what they can achieve. And that video's gone around the world. I'd really like to explore that really person-centric approach that you have. But we've got Fleetwood Mac first. Real musical journey we're going on here in your crisis. Today, so we're going back a bit in time with Fleetwood Mac. [MUSIC PLAYING] Tell me why. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] You can go down, go away. Go away, go away. You can call it another, don't you dare. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] You can go down, go away. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] Across North North, and around the world. Keeping your in touch and up to date. You're with Poppiland. [MUSIC PLAYING] Welcome back to the Community Connector Show, where today I am chatting with Chris Fox, inclusive education specialist, send a Quatics, and send advocate at Fox Education and Advocacy. And Chris, you were telling these beautiful stories before we listened to Fleetwood Mac about the people you swim with and encourage and empower to swim from the young person who was terrified of water following a near drowning incident to the nonverbal young woman who comes alive under water and can swim 25 meters in one breath. What is your approach like with people? It's all about the person. And when you first meet someone, if they verbal they talk, they'll tell you if they're nonverbal, they'll normally be a parent or someone that will tell you. And they'll tell you, people will tell you what they think you need to know, and what you think you need to hear, and what they think you're going to ask them. And that's normally predetermined by what they've experienced everywhere else. And I'm not everywhere else. I look at the person, I like to look people in the eyes. My wife hates it. Stop asking me to look you in the eyes. Because they say they're the one who do the soul, but you see everything. I've not met anybody that can hide how they feel by hiding their eyes. They can do it with everything else, clothes, words, facial gestures. But you look someone in the eye and you know what they're feeling. And it's that bit that I need to work with. Because if they've come to me that they've had something, they could have had a bad experience. Somewhere else they could have been excluded from school, they could have anything going to happen. It could have been a family issues, it could have been a bereavement, it could have been anything. That's put them in this position. And then they formally come to me for swimming. And now if they're not in and people need help, and I look at the person, and I feel how they are. They say it's like you feel an energy, like in the Star Wars, I've got the Force. People say about Auras, you know, the Disney's Moana, she feels the energy. And I feel something of someone, and whether that's one year or diverse, hypersensoryness. And I respond of what I feel, and make decisions on how I'm going to behave, act and do. Off that. And then the more that I do with more people, I've kind of got more experience and see more things. Are you liking it to a driving lesson? I'm driving test, didn't you? Sorry. Where, you know, yes, you've reached this standard, you can drive a car. Yes, you've reached this standard, you can teach swimming. But actually, it is through the doing that you are able to enhance your technique. And I guess learn new things because you're trying to adapt your approach to that individual. You have to learn your audience, you know, every radio show has an audience. And that one person in front of me, that could be one person in a primary school group. And that one person who actually is a really good swimmer, but there's something they're not doing. And there's something they're finding hard. I had it last week, brand new class, yes, six kids. There's swimming kids, there's 18 of them, they're all really good, but there's this one girl, and she's really good. But she's really at breath, and she's panicky, and she's not looking at me. And I knew she was holding a breath. And when she swam up, I went under and I looked at her, and I'm down on my back looking at her. And she's like, "Teach us a little water, lunatic." Like, "A way to hold on your breath." And I just need to blow some bubbles. So I mean, the whole class blow bubbles, which is the key to swimming. If you don't hold your breath, you need to understand how to breathe. And when she did that, and I told her that you're doing your arms, when you lift your head up, that's when you breathe in and you're doing your arms. put your face in as many below I she did that on the next length as it how's that wow there's no way we'll told you that no and you've had lessons yeah so then I'm disappointed that someone else hasn't told her this or reinforce that or seen that and she was scared and I could see it but she didn't want to say anything and the teacher was oh my god that looked really easy to me it is because it just happens you talked there about a class of year six students so do you teach classes or do you teach school groups or individuals there's the private from school side of things where people bring that kids and we have lessons I've got teachers that come in and support we do really small group lessons I'm my busiest in the private from school we might have eight kids in the pool but there'll be three or four minutes of staff we do one to one one the two lessons through short breaks funding the council that's a really busy thing now recently again side off as a local authority approved alternate provision to support anyone that need something different kind of looking at social emotional mental health through aquatics and support in that discovered that when someone is disengaged from education that disengaged from everything to do with it so if the system sends a teacher to someone that's disengaged by teachers you don't send a lion out to someone to get a lion's you find another way of connecting that's a really interesting thought yeah yeah I guess you know things aren't going well at school yeah now I'm gonna get you a swimming teacher you know it still has the same type of a different person yeah so I'm I'm always Chris I'm never Mr Fox mm-hmm Mr Fox or the male that you get in the post and I work I will work with anybody absolutely anybody any age for any reason I'll give everyone a go just children though or anyone so adults too so up I'll just learn as we ever had a lovely couple in the 80s that matter a widow's group they were both widows okay he hadn't swam for 40 years and she'd never swam and they came in all new hips and knees and everything and they got in the pool and there was as much about it being a social thing we didn't realize you know the loneliness that elderly have and they'd come along in my adult session every they did once a week with you Wednesday and there was regular adults as a couple of guys it would do lengths and then there was another guy is wife he what a learner swims from the dolphins and this is elderly couple and now I get some of the parents turn up and they wanted to learn so we taught them and it's not about right you're gonna learn this way because this is the curriculum and the right way to do it they learn what they needed to learn for them to achieve their goals and we worked out what their goals were and then I kind of added 20% because I know people can always do more than they think because we always doubt ourselves and they learn so yeah anybody and where do you teach where can people find you we've got pool time in Sprice and Hoverton and I can go to especially under the alternate provision I can potentially go to anywhere at any time I've got some really nice educational trusts they're called now on they where they've got swimming pools and I talk to them if I need to use your pool can I use your pool for this what do you think and that discovering all your now and alternate provision all you'd actually like to come to that can we use you my guess can I must say no to anybody so I'll go to anyone if someone's got a pool that they like we'll try and make it fit to work it out but kind of that Norwich North North kind of area is your niche at the moment yes got to be near a good fish and ship shop that's what's one awful thing about fish and ships absolutely and a woodwinding wine and a hill we haven't yet given your contact details but I wonder if we can do that after we've listened to Coldplay and also of course talk about how people can not only get in touch with you but make those referrals if they want to go on their own journey with swimming and empowerment within the water come up to me here tell you I'm sorry you don't know how lovely you are I had to find you tell me your secrets and ask me your questions all let's go back to the start running circles coming and tails it's on the sounds a part nobody said it was it's such a shame for us to part nobody said it was easy though whatever said it will be there's heart I'll take me back to the start I was just guessing numbers of fingers pulling the puzzles apart questions of science science and progress the notes we can stout us in my heart tell me your love may come back and hold me all I want to rush to the start running circles chasing tails coming back as we are nobody said it was easy but such a shame for us to part nobody said it was easy though whatever said it will be so I'm going back to the start I was just guessing numbers of fingers pulling the puzzles apart questions of science science and progress the notes we can stout us in my heart tell you I'm sorry ♫ Ooooooh ♫ ♫ Ooooooh ♫ - Chris, I've got so excited hearing about all these fantastic stories and the people you support and work with and the power that I've completely forgotten to ask you to share your contact details. So, wonder if you could do that for us please. So the website and all the social media and all the email address is at kfox education or kfoxeducation.org. So in FOU at kfoxeducation.org social media kfox education the website kfoxeducation.org there's a contact form there's a WhatsApp it's all dead easy if people message me i might not reply straight away because i'm either in the pool or sundays my day rest but i will try and get back to everybody but sometimes the neurodiversity hits you where you get a bit of task paralysis and i did spend years thinking i'm a failure because i couldn't answer text messages or phone calls and then to be told by the clinician that oh that's just ADHD that is you see it you're gonna do it but you'll do it after what you do it and then you put it at that and then you think i need to do that and then you forget and then two days later you're embarrassed i've let that person down i failed them 49 years of feeling like that even with the medication it still happens but or they can literally just come and see it you know turn up and go hello Can people come and watch? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Any of the classes you're teaching just to see-- She's dates, dates, and saturdays. We're at Spraxton mana. Been there for years, 15, 16 years. You can literally just turn up and see us. The guys on the leisure desk are really good. They are phenomenal. They put on me for ages, and we're really lucky to be there. It's my favourite venue. If I won the year at millions, I'd buy the site with that hesitation. Because I think that's how all pool should be with rocks and palm trees and some branches. I don't know at all, which is awful, but I will have to explore. And you said you work with anybody. Any age. Any age. But your specialty, your niche really, is special education needs and disabilities. So people can come and see you in action teaching lessons. And you talked about this beautiful video that you're going to share of the nonverbal, autistic, young woman who swims. And you also talked about right at the beginning. A whistle, a storm whistle. I think you said, so what are some gadgets? It's not just you're in the water. I will use anything. OK. So I'm a bit of a Facebook marketplace being. So I've bought bags of pepper pig toys. I bought loader secondhand live jackets. I've got this giant garden duplo Lego stuff that we make a Christmas tree out of it. And then the less and one they build the tree, less and two they put the presents under the tree, less and three they decorate the tree. With all the swimming stuff we use, I've got these plastic diamonds and jewels that I get off Amazon. They sink the kids to the look of them, the feel, the texture. I will whatever they're, I mean, whatever anyone's interested in, whatever engages them, will have a good using. And you end up with a lot of weird stuff. Kettlebells, plastic kettlebells. I've got one lad who's probably sculled from school. He's under section 19. And he's going to have an EOTAS education other than that school package. And he loves kettlebells. And he'll take my two, four kilo kettlebells and he will run up and down the pool holding them. He'll hold them on the bottom of the pool. They'll hold him down. That's, he loves the weight, the deep pressure feel of that. And that calms him. That hug that you talked about under the water. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you see someone what they do. And then we have a pool platform that we use that kids stand on. It's actually a German garden, climate frame for kids that comes in kit form. And I stand on its end. And we've got one lad that sits in it, calls it TARDIS, an EOTE 11 doctor. I might give him another sink or the cystic. And as his son excruid driver, next thing I'm a sea monster. And this is a lad who is worse than I want to be included. I want to feel part of something. And he's struggling. He's in a wheelchair. He doesn't, it's not that he needs to learn to swim. He just needs to be part of something. And he's a dog without having one aside. And he's an absolute joy. And he's a cheeky little monkey. And then he's, bet man I've become best friend with another little lad. And they find each other. And they're together in the pool for an hour. And they've got that swimming family. And it is my world. It's like an extended family. You know, once you're in it, and we take your warts and all. Good days, bad days. And you take that time to get to know people, to gain their trust. And as you said, whether it is you as a person, you as your powers through your new road diversity, whatever it is, it is that I'm connecting. And the hardest thing I have to do, and that's taking me a long while to adjust to this, is understanding that no one person can be connected with everybody. So, as much as I'd love to magic wand and make it all better, for everyone, sometimes I might not be that right person. So I need to find a person that is. And through the advocacy work that I do support in families that are trying to deal with the system. And I see a really rigid system that we're in and that we need hours to talk about the state of the education system. And what they're looking to do, and how they're going to change it. Of course, a family at the moment where a young girl is masking and female masking is a thing. And no one sees that, apart from mum. No one. And me, and I put her, and I get older at the very core of everything I do. And I've never got to try and get the local authority, the attendance person at the school, the head teacher, the children services people, the other parent to see what masking is. They don't understand. Well Chris, you know, you love music. I reckon we've got another show to do where you come back with some more songs, and we talk about exactly that. I think we can have a discussion about education. You'll do that. Well, but for now, you've just become local authority-approved provision. So what's next on your wish list? What do you hope? I fully intend to bring in other people that do other things. So, a Quattix is my core. I've been talking to someone about art, therapy, music therapy, life skills. I've been talking to someone who's qualified, teachers, stateers who can do your key stage two, three, national curriculum staff, so enable people that aren't in education to get their GCSEs, to get the English and the maths, to do stuff at college. I want to take my vision across the whole county and my Quattix background wanted to rescue all the swimming pools that they're going to close, all the ones that local authority own, at every single school. I would love to have them support those schools, secure them as a community asset, support the community, all the community in that schools area. Well, Chris, if anyone can do it, with your passion and drive, is absolutely you. I hate to cut you off, but we've got one final song, and Chris, it has been fantastic, talking to you today, and we're going to finish with 'Shakeame'. Thanks, Chris. ♪ Yes, my ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ F ули - Fl Navation F F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули - F ули -