AN ABERDEEN leisure trust has won a national sport award for developing and delivering a Learn to Swim programme for babies through to adults.
Sport Aberdeen was crowned Scottish Water Learn to Swim Provider of the Year at the Scottish Swimming Annual Awards, which took place at P&J Live in Aberdeen on Saturday 21 September.
Its commitment to providing swimming lessons to more than 5,500 children every week across six city-wide pools in Aberdeen was recognised at the awards ceremony.
This was alongside its lesson programme for those with additional support needs and progression pathway for staff looking to become Aquatics Teachers or Programme Coordinators.
The team’s efforts ensured that opportunities were made available for community groups and those in areas of deprivation to learn to swim, who would not have otherwise had the chance.
The Scottish Water Learn to Swim Provider of the Year Award has been running for seven years and recognises the effort of providers in creating and delivering high quality lessons, providing youngsters with essential life skills to help keep them safer in and around water.
The category celebrates local authorities, leisure trusts and aquatics providers who are delivering the Learn to Swim National Framework across Scotland – a partnership between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming – with the vision to create Generation Swim.
Generation Swim hopes to create a generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.
There are currently around 82,000 children and adults taking part in Learn to Swim lessons across Scotland every week.
Dianne Breen, coached programme manager, said: “This recognition of all our teachers hard work in providing fun and engaging lessons for children of all ages is incredible.
“Learning to swim is a vital life skill, and seeing so many children grow in confidence as they move through lessons is fantastic.
“Thanks to Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water for their continued support, and for recognising Sport Aberdeen as provider as the year.”
West Dunbartonshire Leisure and Edinburgh Leisure were also recognised and shortlisted in the celebrated category – all demonstrating a profound determination to create Generation Swim, the next generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers.
Euan Lowe, CEO at Scottish Swimming said: “We’re consistently impressed by the dedication of excellent local authorities, leisure trusts, and aquatic providers working towards the common goal of teaching this vital life skill across the country.
“We believe that everyone can swim, and all providers do a fantastic job in their roles teaching these valuable life skills, the panel of judges had a very tough choice to make.
“Sport Aberdeen has shown exceptional commitment to delivering lessons at the highest level and ensuring children become safer in the water, showing that the Learn to Swim programme is going from strength to strength.”
Sport Aberdeen will receive an exclusive poolside visit from the Learn to Swim Framework ambassadors – Olympic, World & Commonwealth Champion Duncan Scott and Paralympian and World Champion Toni Shaw.
Peter Farrer, chief operating officer at Scottish Water said: “It’s great to see the good work that Sport Aberdeen is doing in their drive to deliver high quality lessons and encourage as many young people as possible into the pool – learning to swim is such an important safety skill.
“The Scottish Water Learn to Swim Provider of the Year award gives us an incredible opportunity not only to celebrate and thank everyone involved in the Learn to Swim National Framework for the good work they all do, but also recognise all of the outstanding leisure providers across the country.
“With their help, and hundreds of others across the country, we’re making a really positive difference in creating Generation Swim, a generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers, who not only learn a vital life skill but will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.”
At last year’s Scottish Swimming Annual Awards, Fife Sport and Leisure was crowned Learn to Swim provider of the Year for supporting over 8,000 children each week.
Learn to Swim is a National Framework committed to creating inclusive, supportive and quality environments where individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability, or skill level.
