Making a splash – Sophie’s story

Flight Lieutenant Sophie Trotter has been a keen competitive swimmer since she was nine years old. Wanting to take her passion further having joined the RAF, Sophie joined the RAF Swimming Association and has been an active member of their committee over the years. Sophie explains how funding from the RAF Central Fund on both an individual and association level has helped her achieve goals and represent the RAF.

“On joining the RAF in 2013 as a Personnel Support Officer, I was eager to get involved with the swimming team. During Initial Officer Training, by chance during a swimming session, I was scouted by the then RAF Swimming Association (RAFSA) Chairman who had come to see a potential water polo player. He had seen us race and asked me to join the team. That year was the first time that I represented the RAF at Inter-Service level, and I broke a record whilst competing! Once I had joined the Association, I started to explore the four disciplines (Swimming, Water Polo, Open Water and Diving) and now represent at Inter-Service level for all of them.

Throughout my time in the RAF, I have taken on additional responsibilities within the team to pay back for everything I get out of it. I have previously undertaken committee roles such as the Regional Development Officer for West Region, Championships Secretary and today I remain the point of contact to OIC Swimming at most units I move to. In 2018, I stepped up as the Swimming Team Manager, before taking on my current role as Squad Manager. As the RAFSA Squad Manager and part of the executive committee, I actively promote the association throughout the RAF and in the wider community. In doing so, we encourage participation at grassroots level to bring new members into the association. I liaise with the discipline managers to identify requirements for fixture weekends, development events and training camps; often including the organisation of pool allocations, lifeguards, messing, accommodation, and work with the PEd Flt at RAF Cranwell and other venues as required to develop and book the annual RAFSA Fixture programme.

As an association, we email everyone that puts aquatic-based disciplines down as sports of interest during their phase 1 training. We also hold fixture weekends and three competitions throughout the year for varying abilities. From the Inter-Unit event held at RAF Cranwell for grassroots, to an Inter-Region competition incorporating Individual RAF Champs. From these, and any civilian events entered, we select the teams to represent at Inter-Services. If anyone would like more information on how to get involved, or how to join the association, our SharePoint page is kept up to date with current points of contact.

Swimming can be an expensive sport, so I am grateful for the funding available from the RAF Central Fund. Over the years I have used their Individual Sports Grants scheme to help fund a variety of costs associated with my sport. The charitable grants help fund my training, which costs up to £300 per year, annual membership fees for the swimming club and Swim England to allow me to compete and various entry fees for competitions such as the Nationals and World Masters Swimming Championships. I also apply for kit and equipment, mostly swimming costumes and goggles for training but also the expensive racing suits which can cost £300-400!

As a member of the RAF Swimming Association, I also benefit from the funding they receive each year for things like running costs, hiring of pools and RAFSA kit and equipment. I’ve also been lucky enough to benefit from RAFCF funding for Overseas Visits, which we go on each year to make the most of world class facilities in places such as Club La Santa in Lanzarote.

I really enjoy the challenging side to sport and have dabbled in other disciplines such as Athletics, Indoor Rowing, Tug of War, Powerlifting and Olympic Lifting over the years. Of these, I’ve represented the RAF at Inter-Services in the first three. During lockdown, when the RAF Central Fund announced that they had partnered with Myzone, a wearable fitness tracking brand, I was keen to take advantage of such a great offer. I’ve been actively using Myzone for nearly three years now as it encourages me to track my activity whilst creating friendly competition between people. I take part in several challenges through Myzone, including the weekly challenges set up by the Central Fund when I was on their facility code. Having now moved to RAF High Wycombe it made sense to transfer to their facility and I now partake in their challenges too. My biggest challenge is to make sure that I don’t lose my platinum status and I go up to diamond!

The RAF Central Fund support personnel so much, I therefore feel it is important to play the RAF Sports Lottery and feed back into the funding streams that enable people to do sport and physical activity.  I for one massively benefit on an individual and association level and it’s important to help the charity help others get involved in sport too. Of course, the added advantage of being in the weekly lottery draw and the chance to win the £10,000 jackpot definitely encourages me to play! Although I can’t say I’ve won a cash prize yet, I know I’ve benefited in so many other ways and here’s hoping for a win in the future!”

Flt Lt Sophie Trotter