Stacy Arslan

Partner / Safe Guarding Officer

Hi, I’m Stacy! I am the co-founder of Swim City with over 20 years swim teaching experienced a degree in Sport Development. I set up this swim school with my brother Jonathan with the aim of providing the best swim teaching in the country. We thrive to make our lessons as high quality and fun as possible. My favourite stages to teach are 1 and 2 as I love watching children’s confidence grow. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my 3 children.

Lucy Walton

Level 2 Teacher / Nutrition and Psychology (Bsc)

Before coaching at Swim City, I swam at the City of Sunderland swimming club for 7 years. During this time, I swam at a national level, became national champion at the age of 13, collected several North East regional and national medals and swam at Olympic Trials in 2012. I attended several England swimming camps and swam for the North East in English School Championships. I now have Bsc in Nutrition and Psychology from Newcastle University.

Lucy Ellis

Level 2 Teacher / Speech and Language therapist (Bsc Hons)

I have more than 10 years experience as an national and international swimmer. Within those ten years i have taken on a number of roles including volunteer coach and member of the regional beacon programme. I am qualified as a level 2 swim teacher. I am also a fully qualified speech and language therapist (Bsc Hons). I have training and experience working with a range of adults and children with speech, language and communication needs including learning disabilities, autism, aphasia and developmental difficulties. I love working with Swim City as I see their passion to help people of all ages and abilities to learn to swim in a safe and inclusive environment. It’s wonderful to see both children and adults enjoying the water, developing new skills and thriving under Swim City’s innovative vision.

Liam Whiting

Level 2 Teacher

My name is Liam Whiting and I am manager and teacher of Swim City. I started swimming at Sunderland Swim Club at the age of 9 and it has played a big part in my life ever since. At the age of 16 I stopped swimming competitively and took the natural step in to completing my coaching and teaching badges. Since then I have gained experience teaching all ages and abilities from babies all the way to adults and competitive swimmers. After spells away from swimming and teaching to focus on developing my career in other areas, I was given the opportunity to combine both my passion for teaching and skills I gained in management to work at Swim City in 2019 and it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down! Watching our swimmers develop and gain confidence in water is very rewarding and I’m proud to be a part of that.

Ashlyn Liddle

Level 2 Teacher

Hello I’m Ashlyn! I am the manager of Swim City at our Birtley venue and oversee the day to day running of the swim school over there. This includes looking after our lovely staff, communicating with parents about their swimmer’s needs and teaching too! I have been a swimming teacher for around 8 years now, being one of the first staff members at Swim City and teaching abroad in the USA too. Because of my love for both sport and education, I have a degree in Sport Development and a PGCE in Primary Education. This helps me understand the sport we love the most and how to help people thrive in it. I love what I do and will be more than happy to help if you ever need me!

Abigail Carlisle

Level 2 Teacher

Abigail is a three time award finalist for Swim England – Swim Teacher Of the Year, and has taught swimming now for over 11 years. Having received a Masters of Education, Abigail uses her knowledge of child and adult development as well as her engaging teaching methods to create personalised approaches suited for each individual’s abilities and needs. Abigail has taught swimming in a number of countries including India and China. Throughout the past decade she has used her expert knowledge to teach a wide variety of students ranging from children as young as 6 weeks old to adults learning to swim at the age of 70 to children with additional needs and swimmers competing at National Level.

Ella Harrison

I’m Ella. You’ll find me mostly at our Monkwearmouth venue and in the office. I look after the day to day running of the swim school so if you have any questions or enquiries, it’s likely that you’ll speak to me over the phone or by email. After swimming competitively at a high level throughout my childhood I knew I’d love teaching the sport I am passionate about. I love teaching all stages in the pool and my favourite thing is watching people achieve a hard skill after working at it for a long time.