The group of four nursery practitioners, nursery manager Abbie Rawcliffe, chef Lisa Pocock and HR officer Jazmin Hoyle – known for the occasion as Team Sharkbait – spent 20 minutes swimming together four at a time in a cage submerged in the aquarium’s Ocean Tunnel.
Lisa, who organised the daring dive, which Team Sharkbait made in full-view of Sea Life Centre visitors, said: “It was a surreal experience. The sharks and giant green sea turtles were very curious so we were glad of the cage.
“We had a fun day with lots of support for which we are very grateful. We even had a nursery parent turn up to watch with their child, which was great.”
Team Sharkbait’s donation is going towards supporting projects to benefit the Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Preston Hospital’s Sharoe Green Maternity Unit. As the region’s specialist NICU, it serves not only local babies and their families from the Preston and Chorley area but also, those from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria. Annually, it looks after between 400-450 premature and poorly newborns.
Lisa added: “The inspiration for Saturday was my friend, who works at the unit and tells me about all the equipment Baby Beat funds to help the babies and families it looks after.”
Joanna Allitt, fundraising manager for Baby Beat, said: “Congratulations to Team Sharkbait. I think they did tremendously well to brave the Ocean Tunnel especially during normal opening hours, which must have added to the nerves as it’s one thing to swim with sharks and the like but another to do it as a spectator sport!
“Thank you to everyone who sponsored Team Sharkbait’s swim, which I know included BAE Systems’ Manufacturing Branch and also, Friargate’s The Northern Way pub, where the team held a pre-dive 80s night.”
As well as supporting NICU, Baby Beat, which is part of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals charity family, funds specialist equipment, other patient services and comforts, clinical care, local research, additional training and staff welfare projects at the Sharoe Green Maternity Unit in general to help it care for babies and mums from Central Lancashire, who go there for their maternity care and delivery. For further information on Baby Beat’s work and how to support, visit www.babybeat.org.uk
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The tunnel’s sharks were very curious about their new tank mates! Photo: Submitted
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Preparing to dive into the Sea Life Centre’s Ocean Tunnel, Megan, Jazmin, Anritha and Lillie Photo: Submitted
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Caged and ready to be submerged into the Ocean Tunnel are Abbie, Emily, Lisa and Paige Photo: Submitted
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Submerged in the Ocean Tunnel with all its creatures was a surreal experience Photo: Submitted