Hello, and welcome
We are incredibly proud of our Club, which has provided a friendly but competitive swimming option to Saffron Walden and surrounding villages for over 100 years and we aim to offer the same facility for many more years. We are known as Saffron Seals and you will see our Club logo around the pool.
Saffron Seals is a member of Swim England (formerly ASA), is affiliated to Swim England East Region and is SwimMark (formerly swim21) accredited – Teaching and Skills Development.
We currently swim in the Essex Mini League, with five rounds of competition throughout the year. The Essex Swimming League has four fixtures through the early part of the year, and operates much the same as a football league with promotion or demotion based on performance. Currently Seals do not compete in this league.
We also take part in a number of Open Meets where we encourage individual swimmers to compete against their peers to improve their personal best times (PBs), aim to achieve County qualifying times, and ultimately Regional and National qualifying times therefore allowing them to compete at the highest level.
We like to have fun as well, and take part in a number of friendly fixtures against other clubs, where nothing more than pride is on the line. We also hold our own Club Championships and Team Challenge where we look to involve every member of the club if at all possible.
We train at the Lord Butler Fitness & Leisure Centre and training sessions are held each day of the week except Wednesday.
Lord Butler Fitness & Leisure Centre
Peaslands Road
Saffron Walden
Essex CB11 3EG
We operate a waiting list for new members, and joining is by application and assessment – if you wish to know the standard required in order to join please visit the How to Join page.
The Club Committee, Coaches, and Officials
All our coaches, officials and committee members, with the exception of our Head Coach and one other, are volunteers. These individuals commit a considerable amount of time to the Club and are typically parents of swimmers (past and present) or passionate about swimming and swim coaching.
We Need Your Help
Competitive swimming is fun, it creates team spirit and is very rewarding, but it also involves a certain amount of commitment from both parents and swimmers.
Saffron Seals is a not-for-profit swimming club run by volunteers and to help the Club continue to provide a fantastic swimming and social opportunity to the young people of Saffron Walden and surrounding villages we always need a new parents to assist. Without volunteers and a positive, collaborative, supportive parent team there is no Saffron Seals.
Whether it is helping poolside or supporting the running of the Club there is an opportunity. Most of the time it simply requires a few hours commitment each month and you will be fully supported (and trained if needed) in the role.
It is a great way to learn new skills or just get involved in a great club, and if you would like to know more please contact any of the current Committee.
Do consider volunteering and supporting the Club and our activities whenever possible. If you are interested in becoming more involved please contact Jan Bright (president@saffronseals.org.uk) or John Stirling (chairman@saffronseals.org.uk). We look forward to hearing from you.