press release: Swim England
Swim England and Stoke-on-Trent City Council celebrate new partnership to deliver the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme
Swim England and Stoke-on-Trent City Council are proud to announce an exciting new partnership that will see the delivery of the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme across the city, strengthening opportunities for local residents to develop vital life skills in the water.
The partnership marks a significant step in Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s commitment to improving health, wellbeing and physical activity, while ensuring high-quality and inclusive swimming provision for children, young people and adults. Through the adoption of Swim England’s nationally recognised Learn to Swim Programme, residents will benefit from a clear, structured and progressive pathway from first entering the water through to developing lifelong aquatic skills.
The Swim England Learn to Swim Programme is the nationally recognised framework that is delivered by over 80% of providers, which supports nearly two million learners nationwide each year. Designed to be inclusive and accessible, the programme focuses not only on swimming competence, but also water safety, confidence and enjoyment.
The delivery of the Learn to Swim programme will be supported by Swim England’s expert teams, who will work closely with members of Stoke-on-Trent City Council across its leisure facilities, including Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Dimensions Leisure Centre and New Horizons Sport and Leisure Centre. The partnership will provide workforce training, ongoing technical guidance and support.
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Swim England to bring the Learn to Swim Programme to Stoke-on-Trent. Swimming is a vital skill and it is important as many children and adults as possible can learn these life skills and be confident in the water.
“This partnership supports our wider ambitions to improve health outcomes for all and ensure all can participate in physical activity.”
Rebecca Cox, business engagement director at Swim England, added “The partnership between Swim England and Stoke-on-Trent City Council is a fantastic step towards the Council’s goal of strengthening their learn to swim offer and helping more young people enjoy lifelong participation in the water.
“The Swim England Learn to Swim Programme provides a consistent, high-quality framework that supports participants, teachers and operators alike.
“We’re excited to work collaboratively with the council to grow participation, enhance quality and make swimming accessible and welcoming for communities across the city.”
To find out more information about the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme, follow this link: https://www.swimming.org/learntoswim/
The innovative strategy has been created with the help of the industry and embodies the culture and values everyone in the aquatics community should strive to achieve. At its foundation are strong, guiding principles and 18 goals which set out our roadmap for the future.
One Swim England aims to create an inclusive and welcoming environment to help people of all ages and backgrounds learn how to swim and reap the benefits of aquatic activity.
"Their comprehensive programs and resources continually enhance our operations and delivery, and the professionalism and expertise of their team is evident in every interaction. Swim England's commitment to promoting our sport has helped to foster a positive and inclusive environment for our learners and working closely with them allows us to offer fantastic ongoing opportunities for development.”
– Krystal Buckley, director, Triton Training
