Nationwide campaign encourages adults in Scotland to take the plunge
WITH a staggering 14 million adults in the UK unable to swim, the team behind The Learn to Swim National Framework has launched a new campaign to encourage more adults in Scotland to learn the essential life skill.
Aiming to breakdown the stigma around learning to swim as an adult, the #NeverTooLate campaign hopes to help people overcome barriers of learning to swim in later years.
The partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water has already enabled over 100,000 people of all ages to take part in lessons across the country since its launch. Now the programme is targeting reaching another 100,000 learners by 2025.
Euan Lowe, Chief Executive of Scottish Swimming, said:
“Scottish Swimming’s vision is ‘everyone can swim’ and learning to swim is an activity for all regardless of your age.
“Being able to swim is such a vital skill, not just as a lifesaving technique but brings a host of health benefits such as improved cardiovascular fitness, weight management, reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, dementia, type 2 diabetes and enhanced mental wellbeing which are all things which can be harder to manage as we get older.
“The fact that so many adults in the UK are missing out on these benefits is very concerning, which is why we’re determined to make learning to swim accessible to everyone in Scotland, no matter their age or ability.”
The Learn to Swim National Framework is committed to creating supportive and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level.
It aims to develop safe, confident and competent swimmers, as well as encouraging people of all ages and abilities to adopt a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle with sport and fun at its heart to reach their full potential both in the pool and beyond.
Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water, commented: “Learning to swim is such an important safety skill – everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s miles of rivers, lochs, reservoirs and shorelines, and do so safely.
“Ensuring everyone has access to learn such an essential life skill and to be confident and competent in or around water is hugely important from a safety perspective.
“In taking part in the Learn to Swim programme, they will also get to experience the wider social, health and fitness benefits that swimming can offer.”
The National Framework is delivered by 38 leisure trusts and aquatic providers in more than 160 pools across Scotland.
For more information on the Learn to Swim programme visit https://www.scottishswimming.com/learn-to-swim
