First Everyday Swim pilot launches

Telford & Wrekin is the first of the Amateur Swimming Association's (ASA) Everyday Swim pilots to get underway and was launched at a special celebration held in the borough on Saturday 25 November.

Everyday Swim Ambassador Duncan Goodhew was in attendance to celebrate the pioneering initiative that aims to break down the barriers to swimming and provide best practice examples to be used country-wide.

Telford & Wrekin is one of eight areas across England to be selected by the ASA and will focus on providing access to low-income families and disability groups, encouraging residents to take to the water as part of a healthier lifestyle.

The project is jointly funded by Sport England and Telford and Wrekin Council and will run across all four of the borough's pools - Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre, Madeley Court Sports Centre, Newport Swimming Pool and Oakengates Leisure Centre.

More than 60 residents to benefit from the scheme attended the launch at Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre and took part in Aquafit, water polo and fun activity sessions.

The launch coincided with the 25th anniversary celebrations of the pool, which were opened by Goodhew in 1981, and many of the original members of staff returned to mark the event.

Everyday Swim Co-ordinator Matt Shields is leading the programme in the area and hopes the Telford & Wrekin pilot will play a big part in understanding the barriers to swimming.

"It was a really enjoyable afternoon and it was great to see so many people get behind the initiative," said Shields. "Through Everyday Swim we hope to make some real in-roads into understanding the barriers to swimming and getting local residents more active. It's really exciting that the project is about to get underway."

Everyday Swim sessions will kick off early next year with Parent and Toddler and Aquafit sessions already scheduled to start in January. A series of open days are also in the pipeline to take place at centres involved in the scheme.

The background

Everyday Swim is a national pilot project, led by the Amateur Swimming Association and funded by Sport England, which has committed to invest £3m into Everyday Swim over a three-year period.

Everyday Swim pilots are taking place in Easington (County Durham), Islington (London), Kirklees (West Yorkshire), Lewisham (London), Suffolk, Telford & Wrekin, Wirral and Woking (Surrey).

Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew is the Everyday Swim Ambassador.

Source: ASA