Stockport Metro swimming club has had an ‘amazing response’ to its swim lessons scheme launched during the Royal Life Saving Society’s Drowning Prevention Week.
To show its support for the campaign, Life Leisure’s Stockport Metro released special ‘5 for £5’ learn-to-swim sessions during the awareness week.
The places, specifically aimed at non-swimmers under the age of 11, sold out in just seven days. Sessions are to be delivered at Life Leisure pools at Grand Central, Avondale and Cheadle throughout August.
Julie Bennett, Stockport Metro’s swimming development manager, said: “More than 300 people accidentally drown in the UK every year – 56 under the age of 11 have drowned in the last five.
“As a community provider, we can’t be there at the seaside or hotel pool to keep youngsters safe, but we can do our bit to make sure they know how to swim and stay safe around water.
“That’s why we decided to show our backing for RLSS UK, and this important topic, with a specially discounted swim programme. The response we’ve had from the public has been amazing.”
In addition to preventing youngsters from getting into trouble, Stockport Metro is also doing its bit to help aid those who do end up out of their depth.
During Drowning Prevention Week, there has been a water safety focus within schools lessons of which 90 local primary schools take part per week along with over 5000 children after school.
Free rookie lifeguard lessons were also offered over August to help those with an interest in developing their life-saving skills and experience.
Julie added: “At Stockport Metro we’ve trained some of the best swimmers this country has every produced, many of whom have the Olympic medals to prove it.
“But for us, teaching children to swim is a life skill and it’s hugely rewarding. Children then have the opportunity to follow a performance pathway, become recreational swimmers or go on to become teachers and lifeguards that could end up making a critical difference in a life and death situation in the future and we’re very proud of that.
Our aim is always to make swimming accessible and safe for all ages and abilities, and as such, we’ve felt privileged to have been able to show our support for RLSS UK by opening up these additional swimming opportunities in Stockport.
For more information about Stockport Metro’s swimming programme, visit their website or email swimming@lifeleisure.net.
