Despite having her funding reduced, paralympic swimmer Stephanie Millward is determined to do something positive for her community.

That is why the 27-year-old European and British record-breaker from Cepen Park South in Chippenham is giving up her precious free time to teach youngsters at a school in Trowbridge how to swim.

Ms Millward, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was told last week that the British Swimming Association is cutting her monthly funding from £1,500 to £1,000 from January next year.

She said: “This is a huge cut and I will probably have to get a job to bring in the rest of the money.

“The funding really covers my travel as I am driving up to Swansea each week to visit my trainer and get in more training.

“My MS won’t really hinder me getting a job as I have no physical signs yet, but it is still frustrating having to tell employers about it.

“I have been to see these schoolchildren a few times and they are all great.

“It’s quite strange as they see me as a bit of a celebrity and I just really want to give them something back.

“These kids come from families without much money so I wanted to take them all under my wing and teach them how to swim.”

Ms Millward was disappointed with her Beijing Paralympic performance after coming fifth in the women’s S9 100m freestyle final, but she is now looking forward to her next big race in Rio in November 2009 where she hopes to be a main contender for the medals.

In the meantime she will be taking the Longmeadow School pupils, who range from eight to ten years old, once a week to the Clarendon School swimming pool in Trowbridge.

Teacher Caroline Cox said: “Stephanie is an inspiration, the kids love love swimming and having a paralympic athlete teaching them is just amazing.”