Thousands celebrating Learn to Swim Month in September

Learning to swim is being celebrated throughout September in Scotland as part of a country-wide initiative.

Swimming will take centre stage in September as local authorities, leisure trusts, and aquatic providers across Scotland coordinate a month of festivities centred around swimming to inspire people of all ages and abilities to become safe and confident swimmers.

The Learn to Swim national framework – a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water – has already involved more than 100,000 children taking part in lessons up and down the country and is targeting another 100,000 by 2025.

At the centre of the celebrations is the commitment of creating supportive and quality environments in which people of all ages can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability, or skill level.

A total of 38 Leisure Trusts and others now welcome children after the summer holidays in more than 163 pools in Scotland.

Euan Lowe, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Swimming, said: “Learning to swim is a crucial life skill and it’s so important that every individual across Scotland has the opportunity to learn how to be confident and safe in the water.

Duncan Scott and Toni Shaw, Learn to Swim ambassadors and swim superstars who both recently achieved success at the World Championships, are championing the month and continue their good work to help to inspire and encourage youngsters across the country to take to the water and learn to swim.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water, said: “Our vision for the Learn to Swim programme is to create ‘Generation Swim’, a generation of safe and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.

“Everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s miles of rivers, lochs, reservoirs and shorelines safely and with confidence – so it’s brilliant to have a month dedicated to such a fundamental life skill.”

Learn to Swim is a National Framework committed to creating supportive and quality environments in which children can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability, or skill level. It aims to develop safe and competent swimmers, as well as encouraging youngsters to adopt a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle with sport and fun at its heart to reach their full potential both in the pool and out.

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit https://learntoswim.scot/