Helen Elkington 1939 - 2010
Helen Elkington was born in Shirehampton, Bristol in 1939, just before the outbreak of the second world war. The official record of her birth was later destroyed when the local registrar’s office was bombed! A holiday at Sandown in the Isle of Wight provided a life changing moment when she learned to swim along with her brother and cousins. So was born her lifelong passion.
Helen went on to swim for the Bristol City swimming club, where she later became coach, and for Gloucestershire ASA. She swam freestyle in the National Schools Swimming Championships in 1956 and 1957.
Helen qualified as a PE teacher in 1961, studying at Coventry College of Education. She began her teaching career in a comprehensive school in Bristol, which she described as “very challenging”. Here she showed her all round talent and even introduced lacrosse to the school.
In 1963 after acquiring numerous teaching and coaching qualifications she was appointed as one of three national swimming coaches to the Amateur Swimming Association. She was subsequently appointed swimming coach to the national team and this led to her being in charge of the women’s team at the Mexico Olympics in 1968. She was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship that allowed her to travel the world studying swimming and coaching techniques and delivering lectures in numerous countries.
in 1973 she moved to Bedford College of Physical Education where she trained, over the years, thousands of physical education students. During this time, she also became heavily involved with Synchronised swimming, coaching the Great Britain junior team and officiating as a referee at the Commonwealth Games in 1986. Swim England Artistic Swimming (formerly synchronised swimming) present The Helen Elkington Trophy yearly, for the highest placed English Swimmer in the solo free routine.
Helen made regular contributions in the media including BBC Radio Bristol, and on television at the Seoul and Barcelona Olympics. In 2008 her synchronised swimming group, by then meeting at the Robinson Pool, was featured in woman’s hour.
Helen was a charismatic and inspirational practitioner. Her lectures at Bedford were always memorable. Former students talk of her whizzing up and down the poolside on a wheelie chair, demonstrating swimming strokes and her unforgettable breathing demonstrations. In all her years of work she never stood still and was always making improvements and responding to the ever-changing world of swimming. Herself an innovator, she had an impressive list of publications..
A tribute to Helen by Angie Newton (secretary BPEOSA)
Helen “had a brilliant sense of humour and in my first few years in post I was sitting by her in the back row of Department of Education conference. Helen somewhat surprisingly was wide awake as she was busily plotting the swimming contribution to the College Centenary. We were being very naughty and passing notes to each other as Helen was trying to get me to agree to be in her ‘oldies’ synchro team. I suggested some people from my year who were – shall we say – not the best swimmers. It was at the point that Helen drew a sketch of a drowning figure – arms flailing that I laughed out loud. The Head of Education looked straight at me and said, “can the people at the back please be quiet”. Helen of course was sitting by me looking as though butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. Needless to say, I had to agree to be in the synchro group. She also somehow persuaded me to go across the channel as team manager (twice). How anyone would ever have wanted to return a second time after the crossing we had the first I’ll never know. Helen inspired that sort of affection and loyalty in people. I could never say no to her.
She was incredibly reliable as a colleague and kept meticulous handwritten records (no computers for Helen) and was always the first to hand in anything that I asked for as course leader. She was always incredibly positive and upbeat. I looked forward to her visits to my office – she would always say “any dramas” and leave with a cheery retort, often “pleasure doing business with you” or don’t you worry gal, we shall sort it out”.
As a person, Helen was enormously generous. I admired the sign she had made for the door of her office at Polhill. A couple of days later a similar one appeared on my door. She was right until the end incredibly unselfish. When I saw her in the hospital a few days before she died her first words were to ask me how things were at home, knowing that I had some difficulties.”
Angie described Helen as “the last of the great experts”. Bedford owes her a great debt for 37 years of loyal service and inspirational teaching. Helen herself said “to teach is to touch lives forever”. She certainly touched the lives of many Bedford Old Students.