Free swimming sessions a hit with young people
Lauren Higgs
Friday, July 24, 2009
Young people swam for free almost three million times since the launch of a government scheme in April this year, according to new figures.
The statistics show that more than a thousand local authority pools have offered free swims to under-16s as part of the £140m initiative, which is a key element of the 2012 Olympics legacy plans.
Sports Secretary Ben Bradshaw claimed the project is proof of the government's commitment to using London 2012 to benefit communities nationwide.
He said: "We never had any doubt that free swimming was going to make a splash."
But the Local Government Association (LGA) warned that councils need more evidence of the programme's benefits, given the high costs associated with the scheme.
Chris White, chair of the LGA's culture, sport and tourism board, said: "These figures show that lots of free swimming is going on, but further research is needed to show whether or not these sessions are in addition to people who would have been taking exercise anyway, and whether they're helping improve public health."
He added that the government's commitment to the programme is limited, because currently funding for free swims only extends to 2011.
"Councils have proved their commitment by picking up a substantial share of the bill and the next step must be for the government to make a clear commitment to keep the scheme running for longer," he said.
