Archived press release

Date Published: 04/08/06

Dozens of adults and children have taken up AVDC’s offer to use the Aqua Vale pool in Aylesbury for just £1. The holiday swim scheme provides swimming sessions for children of primary school ages and family activities for £1 per...

Dozens of adults and children have taken up AVDC’s offer to use the Aqua Vale pool in Aylesbury for just £1.

The holiday swim scheme provides swimming sessions for children of primary school ages and family activities for £1 per person, plus free transport to and from Aqua Vale.

The offer is part of Kellogg’s UK-wide Swim Active programme, which aims to get children and adults physically active by swimming as a regular part of their lives.

The initial interest in the project has exceeded all targets, with almost a third of those expected to take part over the first 12 months taking advantage of the scheme in its first week of operation. More than 70 families signed up to the scheme in its first seven days.

Swim Active sessions and activities are available to families with children aged five to 11 who live in the Walton Court, Southcourt, Quarrendon and Meadowcroft areas of Aylesbury. These areas were agreed with the national organisers as they tend to have lower physical activity participation rates, which can lead to poorer health.

Young people from local swimming clubs and secondary schools have also been given the opportunity to take part in the scheme. Sixteen volunteers recently attended a one-day introductory course into swimming teaching and are now helping young swimmers at the Swim Active sessions.

The Swim Active scheme was launched with a free session of swimming activities at Aqua Vale on 15 July. Young families were joined by Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Councillor Freda Roberts, local member for the Southcourt ward, and Eli Karlica-Cook, Amateur

Swimming Association (ASA) Regional Director, who were happy to lend their support to the project.

Swim Active has been made possible by a £15,000 grant by the Amateur Swimming Association and Kellogg’s, and contributions from AVDC and Serco, who run Aqua Vale for the council, and has been developed in partnership with the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Sports Partnership.

Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: “It has been great seeing so many young families enjoying the sessions. Young people need to get into the habit of keeping fit, healthy and active from an early age and with the Swim Active programme I’m sure they’ll see the fun you can have at the same time. I really hope we can encourage as many families as possible to sign up to the scheme.”

The Swim Active scheme will continue throughout the remainder of the summer school holidays. There are plans to extend the scheme to the rural areas surrounding Buckingham early in 2007.

If you would like to take part in Swim Active, please call Chris Bolton, Sports Development Manager, on 01296 585221, or email cbolton@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk