Having brashly already knocked at the door twenty doors down from Barbara, we were slightly more reticent when trying the doorbell, but thankfully we were greeted with a smile of someone who is expecting us. Fresh from a swim in Tooting Bec, Barbara introduced us to her beautiful cats, put on the kettle, and we got to swim talk.
It's brilliant how different all our interviewees have been. Barbara is an amazing talker, quick and decisive, we barely have to ask a question! She talks wonderfully about the community at Tooting Bec; the races where everyone starts with a handicap, to ensure everyone has a chance at success; the cake baking trophy; the vague distain towards wetsuits and occasionally those that wear them too. By the end of the interview Becca and I looking in to renting in the area, she has made it sound so appealing. Her story is one of camaraderie, of being buoyed up through difficult times, and of supporting others. The community there is something I don't think I've experienced anywhere else, certainly not in London, and by the time we've finished quizzing her an hour has flown by, and it's time to go. I'm looking forward to meeting some more Tooting Bec swimmers in the near future!
Clare
