Nairobi School One Mile Swim badge - 1970

(Text & scan of badge supplied by Steve Le Feuvre)
I remember being very proud of this award, but in all honesty it was probably the easiest sign of recognition I ever earned whilst at the school.

At the beginning of January 1970, I remember being summoned to the swimming pool by David "Fish" Isherwood, School Captain of Swimming, and he announced that the school had introduced a new 'standard' - the one mile swim. Having swum in the Kenya championships at primary school level in 1969, I was recognised by David and his brother Ian, and singled out to be one of the first to attempt this gruelling distance. 53 lengths of the pool later, and with the light beginning to fade in the early evening, I dragged myself out of the pool and was presented with my badge and told to make sure I went to the Junior House matron to have it sewn on to my swimming costume.

Over the course of the next six years, I was to swim countless miles in the school swimming pool, either as part of organised training, or just for fun!! Yes, it was fun, and my house (Clive) was blessed with many good swimmers during my time at the school. In my last year (1975) Clive House won both the swimming league and annual swimming gala, and contributed most of the school swimming team that triumphed against all inter-school competition throughout the season!! To top it all for me personally, I was awarded my school swimming colours at the swimming gala in March 1975 almost on the very spot where I had hauled myself out of the pool after that inaugural mile swim as a "rabble"!