AJ
Manager, Head Teacher, Coach, Lifeguard & Aquafit Instructor

AJ learnt to swim at Shirley Swimming Pool from a young age and went on to become a competitive swimmer for Southampton Dolphins, soon reaching the national level. Shortly after leaving Southampton Dolphins AJ trained as an assistant swimming teacher from the age of 14 on Saturday mornings.

By the time she was eighteen AJ was a fully qualified Level Two teacher and began full time employment at Shirley Pool. Since then AJ has become an aqua fit instructor and a mum of twins. In November 2017 AJ qualified as an ASA Parent & Child Teacher. Since then AJ has also been promoted to Head Teacher and is now part of the Management team.

Leah

L2 Swimming Instructor, P&C Instructor & Lifeguard

Leah learned to swim at Shirley and returns as an experienced and qualified teacher.

With support from Aunty AJ, Leah has been able to slip into the teaching team with ease and become a  welcome addition.

Kerri
Parent & Child Swimming Instructor, L2 Award Instructor, Lifeguard & Aquafit Instructor

Kerri joined the team in June as a Leisure Assistant and fast tracked her way to becoming a Parent & Child Swimming Instructor and then an NPLQ Lifeguard.

Kerri now has her sights on qualifying as an STA Level 2 Instructor in October so you’ll see Kerri more and more in the pool

Isabella
Level 2 teacher and Saints Swim Club coach

Izzy has been at Shirley Swimming Pool for many years, coming through our learn to swim programme, and continuing on to become regional and national level champion competitive swimmer.

Between studying full time at college and an exhausting swim training programme, Izzy can still be found poolside on Saturday mornings, training her next champion swimmers!

Sam

L2 Swimming Instructor / Saints Coach & Emergency Pool Responder

Sam has been with Shirley Pool for a few years now, he initially came to us for a week of work experience and enjoyed it so much he qualified as an NPLQ Lifeguard and qualified as a Level 2 Instructor.

Alice
STA Level 2 Swimming Instructor

Alice joined our Instructor team in September 2024. Having swam competitively when she was younger, and.. was a Lifeguard at Shirley Pool whilst attending University, 15 years later she returns to us as a qualified Instructor and can not wait to teach swimming

Daniel
L2 Swimming Instructor & Leisure Assistant

Daniel has spent this past year working as a Leisure Assistant and before the summer qualified as a NPLQ Lifeguard. At the start of the Summer Holidays, he also qualified as a Swimming Instructor.

Robbie
Level 2 Award Swimming Instructor & Lifeguard

Robbie joined the team this Summer having newly qualified as a NPLQ Lifeguard.

Robbie has a strong background in swimming having learned at Shirley Swimming Pool and moving up through the levels to Saints Swim Club.

Robbie qualified as a Level 2 Swim Instructor at the start of 2024 and can now be found in the Main pool teaching on Mondays, Fridays & Saturdays

Pippa
STA Level 2 Award Swimming Instructor

Lucia
STA Level 2 Award Swimming Instructor

Liam
STA Level 2 Award Swimming Instructor & Lifeguard

Corie
STA Level 2 Award Swimming Instructor

Corie is another ex-swimmer from Shirley Pool who recently qualified as a Swim Instructor and now has his own classes on a Monday afternoon and assists the other Instructors on the remainder of the week

Pernel
Aquafit Instructor

Pernel Hippolyte was born and raised in St Lucia. He is very ambitious and motivated person, who is passionate about health and fitness work and social relationships his favourite cote (”Goodbye calories we don’t need you anymore”)

In 2009 he enrolled with American Sports Fitness Association where he obtain his Masters in sport science and nutrition. In 2016 he travel to the UK where he studied Kinesiology and Physiology Pernel has being a Personal Trainer for over 15 years he has help motivate and encouraging others with positive life changes experiences in many ways.

Expertise: Master Personal Trainer, Aqua Fit, Sports Masseur, Swimming Instructor, Kinetics and Physiology Yoga, Pilates, Indoor Cycling, Meditation and healing, Nutrition and Detoxification, Stretch and Release.

Leisure Assistants

Big Red Bus Cafe 

Gabriela
Cafe Server

Gabriela works in the Bus Cafe on Saturdays for the breakfast run.

Gabriela is also our end of night cleaner

Keeley
Cafe Server

Keeley works in the Bus Cafe on Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays ready to serve you nice hot coffee, or maybe cool off with an ice cream?

Sarah
Cafe Server

Sarah is a new recruit whom you’ll find in the Bus Cafe on Wednesdays & Thursdays ready to serve you nice hot coffee, or maybe cool off with an ice cream?

Luke Perry
Managing Director

Luke Perry has worked, on and off since 2002. Starting as a Saturday boy, Luke soon learnt the teaching methods and philosophies of the swim school and became qualified as an ASA Teacher.

He went on to gain Beach Lifeguard and Surf Instructor qualifications while studying & working in Cornwall. Luke used his experience as a part-time chef to help launch the BIG RED Bus Cafe in 2014.

Luke became  the Managing Director of Shirley Pool in 2020.

Kerry
Pool Manager / Level 2 Instructor

Kerry joined Shirley Pool in 2017 having relocated to Southampton following a 16-year Management career for ODEON Cinemas.

Diving straight into her role as Receptionist, Kerry quickly picked up the systems and became Front of House Manager in January 2018.

Since then she has continued to show her dedication and commitment to Shirley Pool and is now our Pool Manager, running the day-to-day operation of the Pool.

In 2023 Kerry qualified as a Level 2 Instructor and may sometimes be seen in the pool covering small pool classes.

Gina Negus
Company Secretary & Photographer

Gina joined Shirley Pool in 2019 as Receptionist.

A mother of two, Gina brings her parenting experience and enthusiasm to the baby teaching classes.

Although acting as companies secretary, Gina has  background experience and qualifications in photography and will be seen in the small pool for the Underwater Photography sessions

Dave Perry

Dave Perry started working at the Shirley Pool in the summer of 1974, helping his Dad barrow the earth for the pool foundations as a schoolboy and returned full time in 1993 to run the business. Qualifying as a swimming teacher in 1981 and then as an ASA Tutor he has many years experience in the water and is the driving force behind the current teaching philosophy.

“We have been gifted with lovely teachers over the years, who really enjoy teaching children to swim. We have taken American and Australian influences and the best teaching practices we can find here to build the plan, but it’s always evolving. Consistency of teachers is vital and if you look at the other teachers on this page there are some common themes: they are all very proud of their work, love teaching swimming . My Dad, Frank, designed the perfect teaching pools and I am proud to have built the business up from that foundation with the help of a great team ”

Although officially retired, David can often be seen as an extra in the water, helping develop the younger teachers. A qualified STA Tutor, David leads the pool’s teacher training courses.

Viv Perry

Although Viv does not have regular toddler or baby classes, she will often be seen at the pool, stepping in to take an early morning class when a teacher can’t make it. It’s not just that she lives close to the pool though, Viv is also the longest serving baby teacher having started at Shirley in1990.

In those days, when the oldest boy, Callum, was at playgroup, Luke (2) would be sat on poolside with the playdough while Mum taught. Later, Jack, the youngest boy, would be juggled on an arm while Viv helped on reception. Throughout the development of the pool and building the business, Viv was ever present.