About Busy Bodies
A Friendly and welcoming environment where we encourage and nurture..
With our unique effective framework of swimming lessons, using a variety of methods we have come up with a fast and effective curriculum that is not only fun but caters for the individuals, needs, ability and learning journey. Our empathic and professionally qualified swim teachers and coaches will help your child reach their own potential within their aquatic adventures. Skills confidence and abilities that will pay dividends on the beach, in the sea or open water.
Founder of Busy Bodies Swim Academy
Meet Julia Tooley-Bowen
Early Passion for Swimming
Growing up in a family where our mother couldn’t swim we were thrown into lessons from an early age. My first memories of lessons at 4 was of me being petrified of the water. The teacher for weeks had to carry me around in his arms and then dip me in at the end. My mother's bribes she said went in vain and I continued to cry until one day she stopped worrying and trying to reward me with treats. I stopped crying and swam. The rest is history.
Mini Youth Olympics Swimmer
I followed my sisters eagerly awaiting until I could join the swim club. I did at the age of 8 years. I later became county champion at 10-15 years. Swam and won regionals and nationals. Throughout my swimming career I swam in lots of different countries, my most memorable Mini youth Olympics in Milan. I don’t know whether it was being kitted out by a famous Italian designer or the chance to wear a new invention of mirrored goggles to wear in the open air pool.
Busy Bodies Begins
So swimming was my life and I often helped my sister teach on a sat morning. I learnt a great deal from her and during the weekends and school holidays completed my ASA swim teachers and lifeguard awards. This helped a great deal earning money but also was something I enjoyed and got a great deal of joy from teaching children and adults to swim and improve. I suppose it was and is an extension and part of my life. This led to qualifying as a aqua fit teacher, aerobics instructor and personal trainer. They all interlinked and led to a 10 year stint as manager of a health club in Oman. On returning to the UK and having my wonderful daughter I was able to work and teach around her nursery and later schooling. Busy Bodies evolved after running children's pre-school educational exercise classes and many childrens parties. The popularity of the two swimming and entertainment worked side by side for years until the swim academy evolved. My own methodology of teaching very young children to swim took off.
Meet the Swim Teachers & Coaches
Julia
Julia is the founder of Busy Bodies and the lead coach. Julia's experience shines through, and she coaches all lesson types, in conjunction with all of her coaches.
Sophie
Richard
Codie
Dance and swimming has always been a part of my life. Iv danced on stages and in theatres all my life, training at a professional stage was a dream come true. I carried on my ambitions and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in Disneyland Paris as a performer. Which was so magical. I then realised after coming home I wanted to take my teachers for swimming as I know how much the water meant to me aswell as dance. Since then I have never looked back. I love it so much! It’s taken me on a journey and brought me to Cornwall. I’m a huge mermaid fan and love the ocean, and being here and working with Julia gives me the chance to feel what’s its like to be a mermaid in the ocean and pool.
Hannah
My name is Hannah and I have been a qualified swim teacher since September 2019. Having spent much of my childhood in the water, I recently had the opportunity to finally make a career out of it.
For me, being able to swim is one of the most important life skills you could ever have, especially living in Cornwall.
I feel extremely privileged to be in this position, teaching potentially life saving skills whilst giving children and adults the confidence and freedom they get from being in the water.
I, myself love being close to nature and spend as much time as possible outside walking, running, surfing, wild swimming and reading.
STA Open Water Swim Coaching - in progress
Ellie Jo
