REDDITCH’S amazing David Finney, the swimming coach who came so close to winning the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year’s Unsung Hero award, is leaving the town after 55 years.
David will get to blow his whistle at Kingsley Swimming Pool for the last time next Saturday, February 11 as he says goodbye to The Bridge Swimming Club and Redditch before he and his wife Mary start a new life, at the ages of 84 and 80, in Glossop in Derbyshire.
David set up the club, formerly the Redditch Boys and Girls Brigade Swimming Club, more than 40 years ago with Tom Ryder.
They wanted to provide a lifesaving skill at an affordable price to children who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to do so. Throughout the years of running the club, David has always managed to persuade new volunteer instructors to give up their time when others have left enabling the club to keep costs low.
Generations of swimmers have benefitted from David’s teaching and his enthusiasm for teaching young people to swim was evident as when a child achieved their potential, he would smile, shout encouragement, jump up and down on the side of the pool and shake their hands.
David took great pleasure in seeing nervous learners progressing through the groups and having fun in the water.
“We’re moving into a new build apartment to be nearer my son and we’re looking forward to it but with a mixture of feelings,” said David.
The couple first moved to the town in 1962 to Lodge Park.
“It will be an awful wrench to leave, particularly for Mary who has built up quite a friendship at St Stephens Church,” said David.
“And everyone at The Bridge Swimming Club gave me a scrapbook filled with so many tributes and accolades from so many people. It brought tears to my eyes to see what people thought because what I’d done brought me nothing but pleasure.”
The scrapbook also gave details of what David had accomplished over the years including the Inspire Redditch Unsung hero Award in 2013, Pride of Redditch in 2015 and the BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero Award winner in 2016.
A spokesperson for The Bridge Swimming Club said: “We would like to say a big thank you to David for all his dedication over the years. He will be greatly missed by all members of the club both old and new.
