Wokingham

Wokingham Residents aged 60 and over and 16 and under will be able to take a free dip in the borough’s public pools from January 2010 until March 2011 after Wokingham Borough Council recently joined the national Free Swimming programme. The council will be working in partnership with its leisure contractor (Leisure Connection) and Woodley Town Council to provide free swimming at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Carnival Pool and Bulmershe Leisure Centre.

And from Monday November 30, eligible Wokingham residents can register to take up this great offer. In order to do so, they need to complete a registration form and provide evidence of eligibility. They will then receive a membership card which will enable them to swim for free at general swimming sessions at any of the borough’s public pools. Registration forms are available at council offices and facilities across the borough. It can also be downloaded from the council’s website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/freeswimming

Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Lower Earley and the Carnival Pool in Wokingham will be accepting registration forms, along with a £2 registration fee, everyday from Monday November 30 until Sunday December 20 between 10am and 8pm. Throughout December, eligible residents can also register at various community locations and full details can be found at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/freeswimming or by calling (0118) 974 6265.

The Wokingham borough council decided not to join the national Free Swimming programme earlier in 2009 because the government funding on offer was insufficient to cover the full costs of the scheme. A number of other councils took the same decision. The council has now been able to negotiate an improved deal which means that free swimming can be offered to the two key age groups without an additional burden on local taxpayers.

As an added benefit, the three public pools will also be entitled to funding from the Amateur Swimming Association for free swimming lessons. Additional funding will also be available to support swimming lessons for hard to reach groups in the two age categories.

It is important to emphasise free swimming will be at no cost to council taxpayers in the Wokingham Borough – it is dependent on continued funding from the government. Cllr Liz Siggery, executive member for Wokingham corporate services, said: “Swimming is the most popular sporting activity in the country and we are pleased to be able to offer the free swimming programme in the Wokingham Borough. We are committed to helping keep our residents active and by joining the programme it is a great opportunity for them to take part in a fun, healthy activity at no cost.”

Neil Carr, head of neighbourhoods, said: “There’s 15 months of free swimming to be had and just think how much fitter eligible residents will feel if they take up this great offer on a regular basis. So don’t delay – sign up today!”

The Free Wokingham Swimming programme will start in January 2010 and will run until March 2011, and will be available to everyone in the Wokingham Borough aged 16 and under and those aged 60 and over. The scheme will run at the borough’s three public pools:
• Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, Lower Earley (operated by Leisure Connection on behalf of the borough council)
• Carnival Pool, Wokingham (operated by Leisure Connection on behalf of the borough council)
• Bulmershe Leisure Centre, Woodley (operated by Woodley Town Council)

By rolling out free swimming at all Wokingham Borough public pools, further funding will become available for swimming lessons for children aged 11 to 17-years and people over 60 who currently cannot swim. These free sessions will enable everyone eligible to have a lesson for an hour a week for up to six weeks without any charge as the cost will be picked up by the Amateur Swimming Association.

Wokingham Borough Council