British Swim School Founder Rita Goldberg Passes Away, Leaving a Remarkable 40-Year Legacy of Water Safety

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- British Swim School, North America's leading "learn to swim" provider, announces with deep sadness the passing of its founder, Rita Goldberg, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. A trailblazer in water safety and swim lessons, Goldberg's passion and vision revolutionized how swimming lessons are taught, emphasizing survival-based techniques.

Rita Goldberg founded British Swim School in 1981 in Manchester, England. Channeling her drive, resilience and charm she was determined to conquer all the naysayers and local bureaucracy of the time to build a pool in the basement of her Victorian house, creating the country's first indoor children's swim school.

In the following years, she dedicated countless hours refining the gentle and highly effective teaching methods that remain a hallmark of British Swim School today. These methods, developed with care and precision, have stood the test of time, remaining the backbone of the British Swim School teaching methodology over the last 40 years.

In 1991, she brought British Swim School to North America, where it grew into a successful franchise system with lessons offered in rented pools through partnerships with fitness centres and hotels.

A former national swimmer, Rita's tenacity earned her the nickname "British Bulldog "in her adopted home of the US. In 2019, British Swim School was acquired by Buzz Franchise Brands as part of her intention to ensure the school could reach even more children. Despite stepping back, her influence and teaching methods remain at the heart of the program.

"This is incredibly sad news for everyone in the British Swim School family," Ashley Gundlach, President of British Swim School. "Rita's passion and energy for our mission to teach survival-first swimming skills continues to inspire our instructors, franchisees, and families across the British Swim School community. Her legacy will live on."

The British Swim School family mourns the loss of an extraordinary leader, mentor, and water safety advocate.

About British Swim School

British Swim School, the nation's most established swim school franchise, with over 40 years in business, believes that every individual, regardless of age or ability, should have the opportunity to become a safe and happy swimmer. Offering lessons for babies, children, and adults, the brand is dedicated to its mantra, "Survival of the Littlest," focusing first on the survival skills needed to survive a water accident, then moving on to stroke development and more advanced skills. Not only does British Swim Schools give peace of mind to countless families who seek the essential life skills the brand offers their children, but the purpose-driven franchise also offers an exceptional opportunity for entrepreneurs who seek a fulfilling business venture with a sound foundation, low investment, and an easily scalable model. Part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family, British Swim School currently operates over 450 schools across the United States and Canada.

For more information about British Swim School, visit www.britishswimschool.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Alyssa Newman
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SOURCE British Swim School