Everyday Swim shares lessons with industry

“But we need to act now to make the most of the legacy. Sport helps people learn to win and lose, to lead and support and it teaches people respect. But the fun factor is most important and is the best hook for getting people into sport.

“I would urge everyone here to have the courage to try new things, do things differently and then do more of the things that are working, The success of Everyday Swim is testament to this.”

Deputy Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Culture, Tourism and Sport Board and Essex County Council Cabinet Member Stephen Castle was also in attendance to urge people to act now to benefit from 2012.

“The Olympics is the most important thing that will happen to sport in our working lifetimes,” he said. “The Games has moved sport up the Government agenda and we need to ensure we capture that opportunity and help deliver a legacy.

“The success of the bid was based on the impact the Games will have on young people and a nationwide legacy of increased sports participation. It has given us a unique opportunity to put this on the agenda of local government and other agencies.

“We can use the Games to deliver on agendas by engaging with sponsors to raise the profile of sport and activity, recruiting and rewarding a new generation of volunteers and using elite athletes as role models to encourage and inspire.”

ASA Swimming Activity Manager Kate Sargant heads up the Everyday Swim programme and is passionate about what it can achieve and its potential to impact on a national scale.

“Everyday Swim is about local learning with a national impact and if we get it right it really can play a huge part in the 2012 legacy,” she said. “Whilst we can’t yet prove there has been a sustained increase, early indicators are good and we are starting to see a change of landscape in the areas engaged in Everyday Swim.

“We’ve learnt that people will try swimming if the circumstances are right and we’ve introduced a wide range of new activities and initiatives into pools across the country which are enticing new people into swimming.

“While money isn’t the only answer, Everyday Swim funding has allowed us to be bold, try new things and minimise the risk. But support of a wide range of partners is critical, especially if the project is to continue past its three-year funded phase and be introduced into new areas.”

For more information on Everyday Swim and its pilot programmes log onto www.everydayswim.org

Notes

Everyday Swim is a national pilot project, led by the Amateur Swimming Association and funded by Sport England, which aims to break down the barriers to swimming and provide best practice examples to be used across the country. Sport England has committed to invest £3m into Everyday Swim over a three-year period.

Everyday Swim pilots are taking place in Easington (County Durham), Islington (London), Kirklees (West Yorkshire), Lewisham (London), Suffolk, Telford & Wrekin, Wirral and Woking (Surrey).

Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew is the Everyday Swim Ambassador.