Media release: Scottish Swimming launches new website for parents of kids learning to swim

A NEW website, www.learntoswim.scot, launched today by Scottish Swimming, in partnership with Scottish Water and aquatic providers across Scotland, aims to support parents of children learning to swim with Games for the pool, a Meet the Athletes section and valuable Water Safety advice.

The website supports and builds on the essential work that aquatic providers are doing across Scotland as part of the National Learn to Swim Framework to create safe, competent and confident swimmers.

The website launch coincides with the first year anniversary of the Scottish Swimming Scottish Water partnership which is enabling the roll out of the National Learn to Swim Framework to Leisure Trusts and other local partners across Scotland to ensure that more than 100,000 children will be able to swim.

The website has been supported by the RNLI who have provided essential water safety advice that parents can access with their child and plans are set to update the website regularly with new videos and activities to ensure that games content is fresh and up-to-date.  The Meet the Athletes section shows where some of our top swimmers started their learn to swim journey to inspire and enthuse younger swimmers and there is also a video where some of the elite athletes talk about the life skills that swimming has given them.

Forbes Dunlop, CEO of Scottish Swimming, commented: “Skills for swimming are skills for life and Scottish Swimming firmly believes in learning to swim as early in life as possible while having fun in the water at the same time. Children learn better when they are having fun which is why we have put some games on the website that parents can do with their child in their local pool or on holiday to support and extend the good work that the Leisure Trusts and local partners are doing to create safe, competent and confident swimmers.”

Duncan Scott, World champion and Olympic Silver medallist, commented: “Having fun is probably the most important thing when you are learning to swim. I went swimming most Sundays with my dad and my sister when I was young and eventually I joined the local swimming club. Playing games in the water is a great way to have fun – even a game of tig or diving for objects beneath the surface of the water can really help to build confidence.”

Brian Lironi, director of Corporate Affairs for Scottish Water, commented: “We are very proud to continue our support for Scottish Swimming’s National Framework for Swimming which we know is already being delivered by more than 17 Leisure Trusts across Scotland and many more local partners who are doing a fantastic job of delivering high quality swimming lessons to over 50,000 children to make them safe and confident swimmers. The website www.Learntoswim.scot complements the work of the aquatic providers by giving parents advice, ideas and games that they can play on holiday or at the local pool to build on what their child is learning and we look forward to seeing how the website develops over the next year.”

Comments from Leisure Trusts on the website include:

“Videos of each stroke should work well and the Meet the Athletes and Games sections are excellent.”

Dianne Breen, Aquatics Aberdeen, Learn to Swim Provider of the Year

“I really like the water safety aspect as it is so important to know how to keep yourself safe around open water!”

Karen Ferguson, Enjoy Leisure

“I think the website looks good and is definitely something we can refer parents to.”

Andrena Hammond, Glasgow Life

For more information on the website, visit www.learntoswim.scot.

MEDIA RELEASE issued by Scottish Swimming. You too can share your stories (aka press or media releases), on this site. Email here for more information.

Contact: Helen Plank
Phone: 07702872964
Email: h.plank@scottishswimming.com
Website: http://www.learntoswim.scot