LCF Trustee Kate Hoey calls for Government to save our Swimming Pools

See the original Telegraph article
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/29/soswim129.xml

Year after year pools have been closed and not replaced. Others have been allowed to be run down, badly maintained with councils pleading poverty as an excuse.

We should be ashamed that there is less swimming now in primary schools than there was 30 years ago. Local authorities have no legal duty to support recreational activities in the way that they do for libraries or social services. This must change. Unless and until swimming pools are given the same statutory protection as libraries the desecration will continue. If I have a right to borrow a book free from a library why do I not have the right to swim free in a public swimming pool?

Swimming is one of the easiest and most enjoyable sports to participate in and, unlike other sports, it was singled out to be mandatory in primary schools because, as well as being a superb recreational activity, it is critical in reducing the risk of drowning. So by the age of 11 children must be taught to swim competently for at least 25 metres. However, unless your child happens to attend one of the few primary schools with a pool the swimming experience will vary radically. As pools have closed schools have had to travel further and scramble for pool time.

It is unfair just to blame local authorities. They have seen the mixed messages coming out of Whitehall. On one hand swimming is compulsory, on the other OFSTED doesn't inspect and monitor with the same priority as the rest of the curriculum. They have seen 'Building Schools for the Future' create new schools minus the pool that was in the old school. Even specialist sports colleges rarely have a pool and it is never part of the criteria laid down that this should be a high priority. The Government must make the political decision that swimming is important enough to be supported across departments and recognise that warm words do not keep pools open. The millions of pounds spent on producing endless glossy documents and health strategies in the battle against obesity by Government make little mention of sporting activities yet swimming is one of the best all-round sports for our health. So why are we not using more of the Department of Health's money to invest in preventative health schemes through swimming?

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport deliberately confuses private leisure pools and hotel pools with public pools to give a dishonest picture of what is really happening. Those of us who ask questions on closures are answered with doubtful statistics. But, as the Daily Telegraph shows today, it is the Government who are complacent and now they will have to pay the price.

Either there is an acceptance that the money will be found and will be treated as an investment in health or the Prime Minister should admit that the era of accessible, good quality swimming pools is over and that he is abandoning affordable swimming for the majority. Surely no one wants that to be a legacy of London 2012?

FOOTBALL MEETS ATHLETICS AS NEW LONDON SPORTS PROJECT RECEIVES CHRISTMAS FUNDING BOOST

Footballers AND athletes in Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark have a spring in their step today following a grant awarded by the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity, to the London Coaching Foundation (LCF).

Sporting Skills is an athletics and football project for 11-18 year olds that will seek to combine the skills and techniques from both sports via interactive coaching sessions over 32 weeks and to offer access to recognised qualifications in Football and Community Leadership for many of the project beneficiaries.

The cash bonanza will allow the London Coaching Foundation (LCF) to support a total of 270 young people who are or who are at risk of being involved in the criminal justice system and 90 girls who have never played football before over the next three years starting in Croydon in 2008, Lambeth in 2009 and finally Southwark in 2010.

Accepting the Award the delighted Chief Executive of the LCF, John Herbert commented: "This is an exceptional vote of confidence in the work of the LCF and our long standing efforts over the last 17 years to try and use sport as a vehicle to combat exclusion and disadvantage. We would like to thank the Football Foundation on behalf of the beneficiaries and all associated with the LCF."

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation welcomed this latest funding boost: "We warmly congratulate the LCF for their hard work and dedication in securing this award. The Football Foundation uses money provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government to support these types of schemes that harness the power of football and other sports to help give young people in the most deprived areas real opportunities to develop."

The Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Football Foundation is the nation’s largest sports charity with a £45m budget going straight into the heart of football.

For more information call Rory Carroll on 0845 345 4555 ext 4280 or visit
www.footballfoundation.org.uk

The LCF is currently working with a number of partners and sponsors who are making our work across London possible.

The LCF is proud that London will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 because it will be a chance for this great city to show the world the very best that it has to offer in athletics and other Olympic and Paralympic sports. It is because of our Partners and Sponsors that we are able to help identify new talent in the run up towards the Olympic Games. However, as importantly, the LCF wants everyone to enjoy the Olympic Spirit whatever their ability or ambitions.

If your organisation would like to become involved click here

Thank you to the following organisations who are helping us towards these goals: