Another year has come and gone… That means on Saturday 29th June, it was time for our SwimWay Summer Party 2024! The location this year was another wonderful choice, thanks to Ana Pastor, our SwimWay Facilities Manager and resident party planner! Once again, she did a fantastic job finding a great location. Somewhere we could party, celebrate, eat, and have some good old fun. She chose the very fitting Gin Kitchen, located in the serene Surrey Hills.
Our Arrival
As we arrived on the bus, the beautiful Surrey views welcomed us on a mild summer’s eve. The Gin Kitchen is a secluded yet vibrant location. As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were welcomed with aromas of amazing food, happy chatters and a live DJ.
It was lovely to see everyone dressed to the nines, letting their hair down and having a unique gin tasting experience.
The Gin Tasting Experience
Our enthusiastic and very knowledgeable host was Kate. As one of the co-founders of the Gin Kitchen, they took us through the experience. We learned how they created Gin Kitchen, distil their vibrant gins, and how they are different to their competitors. They create their luxury hand-crafted spirits right there in the heart of Surrey.
The SwimWay team tasted 6 different gins. All the while learning about the creative designs and names of the different varieties, and stories behind the creation of each.
A Taste of Brazil
A wide variety of Brazilian BBQ food was prepared for us. It consisted of different delicious meats and salivating salads, with a finish of sweet Brazilian pudding. All went down like a homesick mole, especially after tasting 6 different flavoursome gins!
We felt nothing short of welcomed by Kate and the Gin Kitchen team.
Behind the Lens
We were very fortunate to have every moment professionally captured by our talented professional photographer and swimming instructor, Jordana Barale. She always manages to capture the true feeling and expression behind everyone’s smile.
The Award Ceremony
We select a swimming teacher for the Instructor of the Year Award at each of our SwimWay Summer Parties. We present this to someone who stood out that year. They show their dedication to their job and always go above and beyond.
This year, Filipe Alves, won the prestigious award, which was very well deserved. He proudly accepted his gift of one of the Gin Kitchen’s finest bottles of Gin! Filipe joined SwimWay in January 2016 and remains one of our most highly recommended teachers. Having shadowed and worked alongside him, I can see why.
Goodbye (for now)
Sadly, once our bellies were full of delicious food, exquisite gin and the sun was starting to set, we made our way back on the bus. We made lovely memories and now patiently wait for next year’s SwimWay Party.
Cheers!
By Kirsty McLaughlan