Please sponsor Athena Leakes' participation in the Freddie's 3k swim taking part 3rd July 2025

Hi, my name is Leanne Spencer and I am the mum of my amazing daughter Athena Leake who is taking part in her schools 3k swim challenge raising vital funds for the schools hydrotherapy pool.

Athena is taking this challenge on the 3rd of July 2 days before she is 9 years old. She has a very rare complex genetic condition called Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, epilepsy, bronchial hyperactivity, severe global developmental delay and other health conditions that effect her day to day life, but she does not let any of this stop her from being the happiest little girl ever.

Frederick Holmes School is a very dedicated school for severe physical disabilities and learning difficulties with a high percentage of students aged between 2 and 19 years old that are wheelchair users and the hydrotherapy pool is a vital part of our children's learning and development.

With limited funding from the local council Freddie's relies on donations from parents, staff, organisations and members of the public. Funding is scares, but is vital and the school have created a sponsored 3k swim challenge for the students to take part in. Students taking part will be swimming, splashing and floating their way to reaching a whopping total of 3 kilometers together. Each child participant including my amazing daughter will do as many laps of the pool to reach the 3k. All funds raised will be going towards much needed maintenance and upgrades to the hydrotherapy pool so our amazing children can get the maximum benefits out of their sessions.

Hydrotherapy is scientifically backed to improve the lives of those with disabilities whether it is improving muscle strength, increase range of motion, sensory experience and pain relief and many more benefits we must keep our kids pool maintained and up to date.

Updates of the upcoming sponsored 3k swim will be uploaded to the Frederick Holmes School social media pages and I will post Athena's updates here as well. Massive thank you to all that donate and sponsor Athena you are greatly appreciated.

I cant speak for all the parents and carers of this school but I can give my experience as a parent to an attending child I am indebted to this school they go above and beyond for everyone and I don't believe Athena would be as far in her development as she is if it wasn't for the amazing staff at Freddies. The more money we can raise for the hydrotherapy pool the better maintained the pool can be and potentially get better equipment and more equipment specially for the hydrotherapy pool.