Swim Club in Isleworth Gets Support for Young Carers Scheme

Council gives grant form its Thriving Communities Programme fund

Children participating in swim class. Picture: Hounslow Council

January 30, 2026

When William joined a swimming club in Isleworth, he found it a valuable break from his duties as a young carer, while also getting some exercise. But he still had to navigate the anxiety of ensuring his mum was safe and looked-after.

The 17-year-old’s experience helped the London Borough of Hounslow Swim Club devise a session specifically for young carers, who would have a space for their cared-for loved one too, to take away the worry about whether they would be okay.

The 88-year-old swimming club has recently been awarded over £25,000 to fund its programme for young carers, just six years after the club faced permanent closure during the height of the pandemic. Hounslow Council awarded £25,237 to the club as part of its Thriving Communities Programme which provides funding to charities and community organisations every year.

William, who looks after his mum alongside his studies, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the swimming club creates an important “sense of community” for young carers like himself.

He said: “When people say a healthy body is a healthy mind, I fully agree with that, just because so many people are exercising together and seem so much more positive, it rubs off on you. And when you exercise together, you can maybe talk about certain things – it’s a way to get stuff off your chest.”

William of Hounslow Swim Club with an award. Picture: Hounslow Council

Lisa Graham, Head Coach at London Borough of Hounslow Swim Club, described how the new scheme came about.

She told the LDRS: “Because of William’s experience, and because the experience our club had with William, coupled with our additional research and identifying the need, we have then devised a young carers programme which is this wraparound care for young carers and their parents. This new project is launching off the back of what we know from William’s experience and what we know of nationally and borough-wide.”

The swimming club, based in Isleworth, became a charity in 2023, around 85 years after it was formed. The club was closed down during the pandemic, and risked permanent closure before securing funding to reopen.

Unlike standard youth programmes, the club will offer a space for both young carers and their parents or whoever they are caring for. Whether it’s swimming, yoga sessions, or relaxing in the library or café, the young carers will know their parents are being looked after.

Lisa added: “There’s heightened anxiety amongst young carers because they’re constantly worried about their parents… so we wanted to create this welcoming safe space. So this project is so the young carers can be completely free and immersed in the programme knowing that their parents or guardians can come and have a general swim as well.”

Michelle Hutchinson, who works for Hounslow Council, was one of the decision-makers in awarding the grant to the club. She told the LDRS that the swimming club’s bid for funding stood out because it was unique.

She said: “It’s such a unique project because the way Lisa and the team have developed it, you know, they haven’t developed it in silo. They’ve worked with teams, they’ve worked with the community, and they’ve worked with young carers. And it’s not just about the young carers, it’s also about the cared-for.

“So there’s this whole kind of partnership and development going on and that impact is just going to be astronomical for those young people and for those cared for. It’s that kind of joined up approach.”

The swim club was not the only local organisation to receive funding from the council. Hounslow Youth Counselling Service received £20,000 to offer free counselling for young people struggling with their mental health.

The Feltham Arts Association received £11,496 to deliver art sessions at sheltered accommodation and to tackle social isolation, and Inclusive Joyful Activities received £10,000 for a social club in Heston that supports adults with additional needs.

Reflecting on the funding decisions, Councillor Ajmer Grewal, Cabinet Member for Residents Support, Communities and Equalities at Hounslow Council, highlighted the council’s commitment to the voluntary sector: “This funding is so much more than the money; it’s about investing in the social fabric of communities across Hounslow. With many of these projects proving a lifeline for our residents, this funding aims to strengthen its impact on our most vulnerable residents.”

Philip James Lynch – Local Democracy Reporter