Danes Camp leisure Centre in Northhampton run Adult swim sessions. In the Adult Swim sessions at my local pools half the pool is set up in lanes while the other half is left open for swimmers to do their own thing. This might be an environment in which you can develop your basic swimming.
You may find yourself surrounded by grannies going very slowly but faster than you. A bit embarrassing maybe but tough it out and you will start overtaking them. You are young and strong, once you develop your swimming skills you'll build up speed. Imagine how good it will feel to overtake your first granny.
As a squash player and grandmother in her fifties my mother used mean cunning to beat young male squash novices into sweating exhausted wrecks. As they developed their squash skills and fitness they'd eventually beat her and then refuse ever to play her again. She'd make men in their thirties run from side to side of the court while she coolly occupied the centre ground. So don't be ashamed to be beaten by grannies, use them as milestones in your swimming development.
Wade or swim out from the shallow end to find your comfort spot. This is a place where you can stand in the water with it lapping around your shoulders. Move around a little, hop from foot to foot, get used to being here. Then move a couple of paces deeper and get used to being here too.
Eventually you'll be on tip toes with the water carrying most of your weight, more floating than standing but you'll feel comfortable, so easy to start treading water or swimming from this position and so natural.
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