Hartlepool Apprentice Makes a Splash

At Hartlepool College of Further Education, we’re proud to see one of our students making waves in a national fundraising campaign.

Natalie Waistell, a Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketing apprentice, is playing a key role in this year’s Splashathon – a nationwide event led by Water Babies to raise money for children’s charities. Natalie, 35, is part of the marketing team for the Tees Valley, Durham and Darlington franchise of Water Babies. The franchise is currently leading the national leaderboard out of 53 UK-wide areas and has raised over £10,000 in the past two campaigns.

Splashathon runs every two years and has raised over £5 million since 2006. This year’s theme is Sail the Seven Seas, with donations going to Tommy’s and the Water Babies Foundation Children’s Alliance. Natalie is driving local marketing efforts across 15 venues from Guisborough to Hartlepool, reaching more than 1,500 young swimmers. She first joined Water Babies as a swimming teacher and now works in both the pool and the office.

“As a mum to Nova, who’s three and swims with Water Babies, this job is close to my heart,” said Natalie. "We teach children from birth to six years old to build water confidence and learn how to stay safe in the water. It’s something I love doing.”

Natalie began her apprenticeship with us in January 2025. Since then, she’s developed a range of digital marketing skills including SEO, content creation and campaign strategy.

“Before the apprenticeship, I didn’t realise how much went into marketing,” she said. "Now I’m looking at audience reach, engagement and algorithms. I’ve found a real passion for it and can see myself doing this long-term.”

Natalie is due to complete her apprenticeship with us in July 2026 and hopes to move into a full-time marketing role with Water Babies.

Lauren Morrell, who leads our marketing apprenticeship programme, said: “Natalie is a standout learner. She brings energy, creativity and commitment to every session. Her work on Splashathon shows exactly how apprenticeships connect learning with real-world impact. That’s what this programme is all about – supporting local businesses and helping people grow into professional marketers.”

We launched our marketing apprenticeship in September 2024. Learners study with us one day a week and spend the rest of their time in the workplace.

Pamela Hargreaves, owner of the Water Babies franchise, added: “Working with Hartlepool College has been a great move for us. Natalie has brought new energy to our team and helped us grow our reach. I’d recommend this route to any small business looking to expand their marketing efforts.”

If your business would like to support Splashathon by donating to the charity raffle in aid of Tommy’s, find out more information here https://www.waterbabies.ie/splashathon-2025