Eight things we learnt about Ellie Simmonds when she guest-edited Woman’s Hour

Five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds was the second guest editor of the Woman's Hour Takeover 2017.

She chose to focus on her passion for ocean conservation, a love of baking, the need for volunteering and the benefits of travelling solo. Here's what we learnt about the British athlete's life in and out of the pool.

Ellie is super-passionate about volunteering and as a former Brownie leader has her own special name.

“My Brownies gave me a whole selection of names. I think it was Paralympic Owl, Gold Medal Owl, or Aqua Owl and I had to vote. I decided Aqua Owl was really cool so that's what they call me. I thought [Gold Medal Owl] was quite a mouthful. I don't want to be shouting that every week!

“But it's not just Brownies. I'm a Scouts ambassador and I help out with dwarf sports. I think if we all just give one hour a week – not even that - [volunteering] is just an incredible thing. It’s giving back to the community and to individuals. Throughout my career, volunteers have helped me so much.”

Ellie was the youngest person ever to have been awarded an MBE, and the youngest person on the British Paralympic team when she won two gold medals in 2008 aged just 13. Now, she’s also the youngest person to ever guest edit on the Woman’s Hour Takeover. Not quite the same accolade admittedly, but still worth a mention?!

So does she worry about how she’s going to occupy the next 80 years, having already accomplished so much?

“Half and half to be honest. I do think, ‘Gosh, I've done all that in 22 years, what am I going to do next?’

“I want to go to the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020 so that's my aim in sport, but what do I want to do after I retire? Do I want to do a normal job? I would like to become a primary school teacher but […] it will be totally different.

“I am used to a routine with swimming but I'm used to having naps in the day or being able to come to London, or do TV stuff. It's going to be totally different. It’s exciting but it's a bit scary and a bit daunting as well.”

“Ooh, I love baking. I'd say my favourite thing to bake is a lemon drizzle cake, or chocolate and orange scones, cheesecake at the minute as well. I'm a big, big fan of cheesecake, so I love baking that.

“When I bake, I give it to people because when I'm full-time training, I have to really watch what I eat.

“I always want to try a bit, but it's nice just to give it as a gift.”

“I made the decision after Rio to take a year out of competition to really figure out what I want in life. To travel and say ‘yes’ to every opportunity possible.

“It's such an exhilarating feeling, I can do what I want to do and it’s brought out the best in me - my confidence in being able to negotiate airports and public transport, as well as meeting new people and seeing so many cultures.

It's brought out the best in me.

“My favourite place was South Africa. I would go back any day of the week, I just absolutely loved it. San Francisco was my first trip abroad. I was at breakfast and this lady told me all her troubles, she really opened up. I thought, ‘Oh wow, she’s probably had no one to talk to’. I spent an hour and a half chatting to her while eating pancakes.”

Despite taking a year out, Ellie is still keeping her fitness levels up.

“Currently I'm not training competitively for Tokyo - that will be in September. So I’ve got a few months left of just training when I want to train. I can't stay away from the pool, I’m still waking up in the mornings to go to the gym, or go for a swim or to my local swimming club.

“If I can't do it [every day] I’m not panicking; if I can’t make a session because I’m doing something else that’s fine. But I'm looking forward to getting back into it in September. I'm missing that competitive edge.”

“I’d say I'm the only competitive or sporty person. They’ve all got the brains.

“Me and my Mum decided the best chance for me to hopefully go to a Paralympics or to get a gold medal, was to move to Swansea. It was the best pool, the high performance centre at the time with an incredible coach, Billy Pye.

“The rest of my family stayed in Aldridge and Monday to Saturday morning we would live in Swansea. I would go to school there and then Saturday after training in the morning we would drive back home.

“I wouldn't be where I am today without the support of my Mum and Dad. They've done everything possible for me to achieve what I have and I’m so grateful.”

“A lot of people think, ‘Gosh, you're used to water, you should be fine’. But in a pool it’s a controlled environment - I can look down and see lane ropes.

“The sea is just vast; you don't know what's out there. A few years back, I got the amazing opportunity to go and conquer that fear. It was the most incredible experience of my whole entire life, it made me realise how amazing the ocean is.

"I remember one time going underneath and hearing humpback whales calling to each other. Most of our planet is water and there are so many creatures still being discovered today. The plastic and everything that is affecting it - we need to do more about it.”

“The early mornings – it’s sometimes really hard to get up in the morning - and being wet all the time. Apart from that, I love my sport.”

More from the Woman's Hour Takeover Week 2017.