Aquatic therapy can benefit a range of disabilities. Water exercises decrease the amount of stress on joints, relieve pain and stiffness, and develop muscular strength and flexibility.  Water is 12 times denser than air and offers resistance in every direction, which is great for rebuilding muscles and increasing the range of motion. Water therapy also promotes relaxation.

Using water to rehabilitate injuries and ailments has been around since ancient times, when Greeks and Romans used it to help them rehabilitate after sporting events. Water creates a weightless environment; when you are immersed there is less gravity and compression on the spine and other parts of the body. Water therapy can improve posture and co-ordination, as well as circulation and respiration.

Playing sport gives children bags of confidence. They also get a real sense of achievement.
Sports participation gives children a positive channel for their extra energy; it helps them gain control. To swim, children must learn to focus, pay attention, be patient, follow instructions, and manage their impulses. They must also learn to remember and apply rules, even when they are excited. Once such cognitive skills are acquired within the sports arena, there is strong carry over into other areas of their life.

Angelfish has links with the following UK organisations to support the work in Cambodia:

The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is the English national governing body for swimming, diving, water polo, open water and synchronised swimming. It organises competitions throughout England, establishes the laws of the sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for teachers. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

The Halliwick Concept is an approach to encouraging everyone, in particular those with physical and/or learning difficulties, to participate in water activities, to move independently in water, and to swim. It is based on a belief in the benefits derived from activities in water, and sets out the fundamentals necessary for learning. These benefits include physical, personal, recreational, social and therapeutic aspects. The International Halliwick Association was established in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, in 1994.

Cambridge Disabled Kids Swimming Club is the home club of Angelfish. Based in Cambridge, England, it is aimed at children of any age from 0 to 19 years old, with any disability. The club offers the chance to enjoy swimming in an environment of tolerance and understanding. Sessions are run by qualified instructors and a number of volunteers.

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