If you’ve recently seen a Bikeability instructor with vibrant green hair delivering cycle training in Lincolnshire schools, you aren’t imagining things. You’ve just met Laura, a local instructor who, when she isn’t teaching children how to safely navigate right-hand turns, is swimming 90 feet underwater on a single breath as a professional mermaid.
Fond Memories of Cycle Proficiency
Laura’s cycling journey began right here in Lincolnshire. As a Year 6 pupil at Long Sutton, she took part in “Bikewise”, one of the better cycle proficiency schemes that predated Bikeability.
“I still vividly remember doing a right turn out of a junction,” Laura recalls. “I could hear a car off in the distance, but I couldn’t see it yet, so I safely moved out. My instructor was so impressed and heaped praise on me.”
That single moment of positive reinforcement stayed with Laura for decades. Years later, when she spotted an advert for Bikeability instructors, it triggered warm memories and she knew she wanted to give today’s children the exact same empowering experience she had. After a tricky start interrupted by various Covid lockdowns, Laura has been an instructor with Outspoken since 2019 and absolutely loves the role.
From Sonic the Hedgehog to Miss Ocean World
To say Laura has had some diverse roles is an understatement. She’s worked in entertainment at Alton Towers (including a stint as Sonic the Hedgehog), taught circus skills, and worked as one of Santa’s elves. She also holds a fashion degree and uses her skills to craft curtains and alter wedding dresses on the side.
But it was in 2018 that her life took a distinctly aquatic turn.
After dyeing her hair green, friends joked that she looked like a mermaid. When one of them spotted a week-long residential “learning course for mermaids,” they sent it to Laura as a joke. But Laura loved it, and the rest is history.
Today, Laura is a highly accomplished free diver and professional mermaid. She can hold her breath for nearly five minutes, reaching depths of up to 30 metres. She now performs in major aquariums all across the UK and has been involved in competitions as far away as China. In 2023, she won the global pageant and ocean advocacy crown in Jaipur, India, becoming Miss Ocean World 2023.
Bringing the Magic to Bikeability
While Laura’s green hair is an instant hit with school children, it’s her extraordinary empathy and dedication that make her an invaluable asset to the Bikeability team. Laura brings the same discipline required for a 30-metre dive into her teaching, focusing entirely on positive outcomes for every child.
Like many of our instructors, Laura goes above and beyond the minimum, which is why we’ve recently submitted an application for her for the Bikeability Instructor of the Year award.
Laura is incredibly positive and uses this as her core learning tool. When working with a child with ADHD who was struggling with signalling and looking behind, Laura deliberately focused her feedback on everything the child was doing brilliantly first. By keeping their chin up, she was able to gently weave in the key things to work on without crushing their confidence.
Laura also finds working in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) schools incredibly rewarding. Recently, a school was hesitant to let a highly disruptive student join the course, fearing it would be too much for them. After some passionate pleading from Laura, they allowed the child to try in a safe area close to the school. The result? The student stayed completely focused, adored the experience, completed their Level 2, and left their teachers utterly amazed.
A True Community Force
Somehow, around all of this, Laura still finds time to work as a project assistant for the Arts Council (learning stone masoning along the way!), stilt-walk at Halloween events, and join a touring science show, “Wonders of the Universe,” as the science outreach and media lead.
Whether she is swimming with sharks, stilt-walking through crowds, or helping a hesitant child balance on two wheels, Laura is proof that a bit of positivity, and maybe a splash of green hair, can change a child’s life. We are incredibly proud to have a real-life mermaid on our Bikeability team!
