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At that time, Mac was catching up on his engineering studies (interrupted by seven years in the RAF) and he quickly realised that the principles of water - hydrodynamics and hydrostatics - and the knowledge given to us by all the scientists such as Archimedes, Bernoulli, Pascal, etc was the basis we needed for interrelating bodies of varying shapes and sizes with water - with control, skill and safety in that element.

Our first 12 girls were aged between 9 and 15 and all through that first year we learned from them, as they learned from us. They were our 'guinea pigs'. We started a diary, which I still have and will always treasure. In this, they would write their achievements; later this was laughingly called "The Boasting Book". It did, however, give us valuable comeback, with entries like "I swam two widths ON MY OWN" – "Two lengths WITHOUT HELP" - "Four widths WITH NO-ONE WITH ME". This showed us the importance of Point Two (Disengagement) and of our maxim - Help-is-only-help-if-it-is-needed!! Independence is still highly prized.

The need for Rotational Skills and control was emphasised by the problem for one swimmer, an achondroplasic, or dwarf. From tears to smiles, she finally conquered Lateral Rotation. For all our swimmers, with their asymmetric shapes, finding and controlling balance was essential in the learning programme; and as flotation aids such as rings and armbands in no way help in achieving this, they have never been considered.

So gradually the teaching plan developed, embracing the swimmers' need for safe and happy progress in the water. Because of the involvement of our swimmers, and our agreement that all helpers used only ‘first names', Mac named the Ten Teaching Points ‘THE HALLIWICK METHOD’.

With two aims in mind - ABILITY and NORMALITY - we set out to develop the ability in the water, which rarely relates to the DISability on land. Normality demanded we form a swimming club - with a name! Everyone was happy with 'Penguins' (not very mobile on land, but wonderful in the water!) and so, with the name of their school included, it was affiliated to the ASA as the Halliwick Penguins Swimming Club. This was the first swimming club with a teaching method embracing ALL disabilities.

In line with normality in swimming clubs, the year finished with their first gala. Though small by today's standards, events included: club 100yds; one length backstroke; two widths freestyle; Novices width; three times one length relay; blowing-the-ping-pong-ball; diving (from bathside & springboard); walking width; and plunging (the winning distance being 18 feet 4 inches). Five certificates for 100 yards were presented. The rest of the school came down to watch - and guess what happened next!! By the end of 1951, fifteen more girls were added to the swimming register. Transport was provided free by Universal Coaches, with their staff driving voluntarily on rota.

Group teaching next developed mainly to grade the progress of each swimmer through the 'Ten Points', but also as a means of training new helpers. Also, there was more fun and challenge in working one-to-one within a group of five or six swimmers. The group leaders set their programmes, checked by the chief instructor and games were constructed as a way of furthering each teaching point. This was when kangaroo jumps came into being (invented by our daughter, then aged six, who called them 'Robin Hops') as both knees are lifted so there is no contact with gravity and the pool-floor.

Berthe Bobath visited us during our first year and enjoyed being a Halliwick instructor for a day. Soon after, we had three volunteers who were in training for the Helsinki Olympics. One was a diver, so the swimmers added diving to their achievements. The chairman of the school governors was so astounded by the diving event in the 1952 gala that he presented the club with a diving trophy (springboard and five foot firmboard).

Two swimmers left school during that year; one went to the local baths to show her Mum what she could do - and was refused admission. Were we teaching frustration??? More would be leaving shortly, so what was the solution? To inaugurate a national body under whose auspices we could work for the formation of similar clubs throughout the country, and therefore - in May 1952 THE ASSOCIATION OF SWIMMING THERAPY was founded. How quickly requests poured in for guidance in starting similar clubs was amazing!