Press Release

Take the plunge! Kids Swim Free in half term
20-5-2005   229

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is encouraging children and young people to take the plunge this half term as the Kids Swim Free scheme returns to Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. 

From Sunday 29 May to Sunday 5 June, under-16s can swim free-of-charge between 10am and 5pm at local authority leisure centres in Greenwich, Hackney, Newham Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest – boroughs that will play a major role in hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games if London’s bid is successful.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: 'There is a real passion for sport in London and throughout the UK, and this is clearly demonstrated by the numbers of young people who have taken advantage of the Kids Swim Free initiative.  I hope many more children and young people will take the plunge this half term.  As well as improving health, increasing participation in swimming and sport will help to produce the sporting stars of the future, who we hope will compete in a London Olympic Games in 2012.’

It is the sixth time that the Kids Swim Free initiative has been run.  It has been highly successful in getting more young Londoners to take up swimming regularly and even for the first time.  So far, young people have taken advantage of more than 350,000 free swims in the participating boroughs.  The scheme particularly benefits lower income groups who are more likely to swim during the scheme.

Kids Swim Free will run alongside the London 2012 initiative, Celebrate Sport, which gives Londoners access to a week of free sports facilities at local authority, commercial and voluntary sports clubs in exchange for a voucher from 1 to 8 June 2005.

London 2012 Chairman, Sebastian Coe, highlighted the importance of both schemes: ‘Kids Swim Free and Celebrate Sport are both excellent schemes which truly reflect Britain’s passion for sport. The future of sport can be found in the hands of young people and we should give them every opportunity to get fit, healthy and learn new skills. We have received a tremendous amount of backing from young people from all over this country for our bid to bring the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to London in 2012 – and now people from all over the capital can get involved and lend their support in these final, crucial stages.’

As there may be special sessions times when entry is limited and children under a certain age will need to be accompanied by adult, please contact your local borough or leisure centre for full details about Kids Swim Free or visit www.london.gov.uk.  For more information and to download a Celebrate Sport voucher, visit www.celebratesportwithlondon2012.com

ENDS

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Press information is available from Emma Lewis on 020 7983 4068 or Ben McKnight on 020 7983 4071

GENERAL PUBLIC/NON-MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Call the Public Liaison Unit at the Greater London Authority on 020 7983 4100

DUTY PRESS OFFICER: For out-of-hours media enquiries, please call 020 7983 4000

LONDON 2012 ENQUIRIES: For more information about Celebrate Sport including a list of participating venues please contact Nicky Harmson on 020 7093 5100 or visit www.celebratesportwithlondon2012.com. High-resolution copies of the voucher for use in publications are also available.

Notes to Editors

1. Kids Swim Free has received financial support from the Mayor of London; the participating boroughs; swimming pool operators, GLL and Leisure Connections; and London 2012, the company bidding to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to London in 2012. 

2. Results of the Kids Swim Free initiative shows that:
· 63 per cent of children taking part in the scheme swam 5 times or more, showing the scheme to contribute to regular and therefore to recommended physical  activity levels.
· 70 per cent reported that they were taking part in swimming because it was free, showing the importance of cost as a barrier to swimming
· The scheme encouraged one in five parents from lower income groups to take up swimming

3. The participating pools are:

Greenwich

Arches Leisure Centre
80 Trafalgar Road
Greenwich
London SE10 9UX
020 8317 5000

Eltham Pools
Eltham Hill
Eltham
London SE9 5SU
020 8859 0898

Thamesmere Leisure Centre
Thamemsere Drive
Thamesmead
London SE28 8RE
020 8311 1119

Waterfront Leisure Centre
High Street
Woolwich
London SE18 6DL
020 8317 5000

Hackney

Kings Hall Leisure Centre
39 Lower Clapton Road
London E5 0NU
020 8985 2158 or 020 8356 3000

Britannia Health & Fitness Centre
40 Hyde Road
London N1 5JU
020 7729 4485 or 020 8356 3000

Newham

Atherton Leisure Centre
Romford Road
Stratford
London E15 4JF
020 8536 5500

Balaam Leisure Centre
Balaam Street
Plaistow
London E13 8AQ
020 7476 5274

East Ham Leisure Centre
Barking Road
East Ham
London E6 2RT
020 8548 5850

Newham Leisure Centre
Prince Regent Lane
Plaistow
London E13 8SD
020 7511 4477

Tower Hamlets

St. George's Pools
221 The Highway
E1 9BP
020 7709 9714

Tiller Leisure Centre
Tiller Road
E14 8PX
020 7987 5211

York Hall Leisure Centre
Old Ford Road
E2 9PL
020 8980 2243

Waltham Forest

Cathall Leisure Centre
Cathall Road
Leytonstone
London E11 4LA
020 8539 8343

Leyton Leisure Lagoon
763 High Road
Leyton
London E10 5AB
020 8558 8858

Larkswood Leisure Centre
Larkswood Leisure Park
New Road
Chingford E4 9EY
020 8496 1555

Waltham Forest Leisure Centre
170 Chingford Road
Walthamstow
London E17 8RN
020 8527 5431

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