Wokingham

Leisure Connection in partnership with Wokingham District Council will be trialling a scheme to continue the swim school programme through the October half term (October 23 to 28). Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Lower Earley and Carnival Pool in Wokingham will be continuing the weekly SwimSchool lessons without a break for the half term week.

This extension of the Wokingham lessons will mean that the public sessions between 4pm and 8pm from Monday to Friday during half term will have restricted use of the pools. Lanes for the public will be limited at these times. Monitoring usage figures and feedback from users during the half term holiday will help Leisure Connection to decide whether the trial has been a success and whether to run SwimSchool during future school holidays or return to the existing system.

There are in excess of 40,000 pupils on SwimSchool programmes across the UK, with around 3,500 pupils participating in the programme within the Wokingham district. In a recent survey of parents with children attending SwimSchool, the majority said that they would prefer their children to continue their lessons through the holidays.

The SwimSchool programme is linked to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) who have advised that lessons need to run regularly for children and young people to obtain maximum benefit. Champion for youth and leisure Malcolm Bryant said: “I am pleased that the SwimSchool programme is so popular in the Wokingham district and I feel it is important to trial this change to the half term programme. Wokingham District Council is always keen to promote schemes that encourage young people to take part in sporting activities and commit to keeping active and healthy. If we find that it does not impact too much on the existing half term use of the pools, it will be extremely beneficial to all the SwimSchool pupils to be able to continue their training without an enforced break in lessons.”

For full details of the half term programme and the restrictions, contact Carnival Pool on (0118) 977 0007 or Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on (0118) 931 2066.

Wokingham District Council