British Swim School Opens New Location in Jacksonville!

Nation’s Premier ‘Learn to Swim’ Provider Welcomes New Franchise Owner in Florida’s First Coast

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – British Swim School, the nation’s leading “learn to swim” franchise, plans to add several new locations in the Jacksonville, Florida market this summer. These locations are part of a recent multi-unit deal with new franchise owner Andy Woods, a local resident who is ready to offer British Swim School as a valuable resource to families in the region.

“This is a market with tremendous opportunity for growth, and one where British Swim School can provide real value over current options,” Woods said. “There’s great potential to reach groups and areas within the city that don’t necessarily have a lot of access to swim instruction. The ability to bring this to more places in town will be a huge benefit. There are a lot of different methods for training kids how to swim, but I think our fun and gentle approach will resonate with First Coast families.”

British Swim School focuses on teaching survival skills and stroke development to students of all ages. Lessons can begin with children as young as 3 months old.

Woods, who will oversee the area that includes all of Jacksonville and down through St. Augustine, has a background in operations and supply chain management. He says the business model and support British Swim School offers was a major factor in his confidence in the brand.

“One of my objectives in business ownership was to do something meaningful in the community. I also wanted to find a fit with a brand that I could grow with,” British Swim School, an elite swim school franchise model, was launched in England in 1981. It was then brought to the United States and Canada, and eventually rolled out to more than 200 locations across North America - Jacksonville is the most recent addition to the system.

“We are thrilled to bring British Swim School to Jacksonville and extend our footprint in Florida,” said Brian Garrison, British Swim School president. “Our team has been so impressed with Andy’s passion and excitement for what our brand can bring to his community. We’re fully confident in his ability to achieve our mission of helping families ensure their children can become safe and happy swimmers.”

Research shows that participation in formal swim programs, such as those offered by British Swim School, can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children who are most at risk for accidental death by drowning. British Swim School will teach water safety and survival first and swim stroke development second. Students are placed in classes based on skill level.

For more information, visit britishswimschool.com/northeast-florida.

Devastating News on Drownings: 

• Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States among children aged 14 or younger. (CDC)

• Seventy-seven percent of drowning deaths involve children under age 5. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

• African American children between ages 5–19 are 5.5 times more likely to drown in a pool than white children of the same age. (USA Swimming Foundation)

About British Swim School

British Swim School’s mission is to teach water safety and survival skills to children as young as 3 months old. British Swim School was founded in 1981 using the unique and highly effective teaching methods that are a recognized trademark of the brand today. Acquired by Buzz Franchise Brands in early 2019, British Swim School is part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family, which includes Pool Scouts, a pool cleaning and maintenance company, and Home Clean Heroes, a residential cleaning company. British Swim School currently operates over 200 schools across the United States and Canada and will celebrate its 40^th anniversary later this summer. For more information about British Swim School, visit www.britishswimschool.com. To learn more about the benefits of British Swim School’s franchising opportunities, visit https://britishswimschoolfranchise.com/. For more information about Buzz Franchise Brands, visit https://www.buzzfranchisebrands.com/.