A TALK on how many people in the world don’t have access to clean water by her teacher inspired Hannah Willis, 10, to undertake a sponsored swim for the charity Water Aid as part of the Tear Drop Challenge.

Malmesbury Primary School teacher Sue Fusco spoke to the children about how important clean water was and how the charity Water Aid helped to bring the basics of life to impoverished communities around the world.

Hannah said: “I wanted to help so I thought about how I could do something.

“I like swimming so I chose to do a sponsored swim at Westonbirt and raise money that way for Water Aid.”

The Malmesbury schoolgirl had the full support from her grandparents and parents Sarah and Ashley who helped to galvanises sponsors.

The swim went well and Hannah raised £380 for the charity by completing 643 lengths of the pool to cover 10 miles during March. The swim took place at the 25m length pool in Westonbirt, although Hannah normally swims at the Activities Zone in Malmesbury where she has taken part in a lifeguard course.

She said it covered all the basics of how to survive in the sea or a river if you fell in, and how to help rescue someone in difficulty and the do’s and don’ts of staying safe near rivers, lakes and the sea.

“I don’t know what my next challenge will be,” she said, “People have said what about swimming the English Channel but I think I will have a rest first.”