What is it?
Swimming is the practice of moving oneself through water in various manners - it is one of the public's most popular recreational sports, and is often included in compulsory education in schools, particularly for Primary age students.
What does it involve?
The basics of swimming involve learning the various established styles of stroke used to move through the water, coordinating all the body parts to work together for the most efficient movement. Once an individual is confident in the water there are a number of sporting activities that involve swimming, and many people find it relaxing to swim in their spare time.
Why do it and what are the benefits?
The physical benefits of swimming are well documented - it exercises the majority of the body and can help with posture and stress levels as well as being a lot of fun. Swimming is also fairly instinctual for humans, so it's easy to pick up once you've mastered the basics, and is a great life skill.
What equipment do we need?
Swimwear is a must for every participant, as well as towels and toiletries for showering and drying off after the event. Hats are often compulsory in pools while conditions such as veruccas can render a student unable to participate.
Who is it suitable for?
Students of any age can go swimming, but be aware of the varying levels of skill you are likely to find in a group - not everyone will necessarily have the same experience, and will therefore need different teaching.
Costs?
Costs of entry to swimming pools and booking lessons will vary between establishments. General admission is normally under £5 for a reasonable size pool, but make sure to check out the varying prices in your area to get the best deal for a group!
Issues/Things to think about?
Beginner swimmers (especially young children) should never be left unsupervised while swimming as you can quickly lose control in the water when inexperienced. Pools should have trained lifeguards on duty at all times in case of emergency.
How do we include?
Physically disabled individuals can swim reasonably easily assisted by various buoyancy aids, and other types of disabilties are also often catered for - swimming is a reasonably good activity to include everybody in if you choose a venue with the right set up for the needs of your group.
Doing it abroad?
Swimming is popular all over the world, and its extremely unlikely you will find a destination without a place to swim nearby. Countries with warmer climates also tend to have pools as part of accommodation, so if you are visiting such a place you may not have to go far to access a swimming pool at all. It is well worth ensuring you are happy with safety equipment supporting your activity, plus checking the amount of supervision and level of expertise of the staff on duty. Knowing emergency procedures and where life-saving equipment is located is also a very good idea and can save vital seconds in the case of an emergency.
Main website:
Visit the Amateur Swimming Association - http://www.swimming.org for some great general information and to find out more about the School Swimming Charter - but always consult a venue's individual website for the venue or provider's specifications.
Dudley Leisure Centre is a modern leisure complex centrally situated in the town of Dudley. Comprising of pools, sports halls, fitness suite, squash courts & rooms, the centre caters for sports, fitness and recreation activities. Our facilities also allow us to cater for meetings, birthday parties & functions.
Gym
Seasonal pool offering an interactive water feature in the main swim area plus learner pool for kids, plus changing with showers. Tennis, mini golf and playground nearby.
The Abbey Meadow Lido is a heated 40m outdoor pool situated in scenic surrounds on the bank of the river Thames, accessible by boat if you happen to have one, with moorings adjacent.
Great standard swimming pool but the Tiger Pool comes complete with Octopus slide and interactive water features, waterfalls, squirty fish, water dams and tipping bucket, making it suitable for the whole family.
Indoor Lagoon themed swimming pool with pirate ship play feature for under 8s, 3 giant water slide, wave machine, watercannon and hydroslide.
Under its distinctive dome, the Oasis leisure pool recreates a tropical environment for swimming and water play suited to the whole family.
The Farne Islands lie two to three miles off the Northumberland coast midway between the fishing village of Seahouses and the magnificent Castle of Bamburgh. As well as being the most famous Sea Bird Sanctuary in the British Isles they also have a large colony of Atlantic or Grey Seals.
Located near Luton, Milton Keynes and Dunstable, you can visit Center Parcs Woburn Forest to enjoy an active or relaxing stay.
A precious landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty is so outstanding that it is protected for future generations...
Situated at the very southern tip of Lake Windermere, Fell Foot is a great, family friendly location to play, explore and relax. Sweeping lawns offer plenty of space for games, picnics and gentle walks, while easy lake access makes the park perfect for paddling, swimming and boating.
Hembury and Holne contain two discreet woods on the south-eastern edge of Dartmoor National Park.
Perched at the top of Hembury Woods with far reaching views over Dartmoor, the iron-age Hembury Hill Fort gives you a real sense of what it would have been like to live in a protected palisade.
Tucked away on the Suffolk coast, Dunwich Heath offers you peace and quiet and a true sense of being at one with nature.
A rare and precious habitat, the Heath is home to special species such as the Dartford warbler, nightjar, woodlark, ant-lion, adders and much more.
We proudly care for some of the Llŷn Peninsula's best beaches and most stunning headland - from the sweeping beach and colourful beach huts of Llanbedrog to the whistling sands at Porthor.
Burton Bradstock is one of the main gateways to the Jurassic Coast and the South West Coast Path.
The estate is easy to access and offers spectacular cliff-top views along the many varied and picturesque coastal walks.
Halesowen Leisure Centre has many facilities comprising of pools, sports halls, fitness sui
Standard swimming and teaching facility also with separate diving pool equipped with 1 and 3m springboards and a 5m platform. There are more sporting opportunities besides.
Feeling adventurous? Enjoy the aquatube flume, Pirate Ship Fun Pool and four springboards (1 to 3m) with a 5m diving platform, as well as many other facilities. Creche also available.
West Lindsey Leisure Centre can be found in Gainsborough in the picturesque county of Lincolnshire. A centre that operates at the heart of the Gainsborough community, West Lindsey Leisure Centre offers a gym, two swimming pools, a sports hall, a gymnastics training hall, an indoor bowls rink, two group exercise studios as well as sauna and steam rooms.
In the Gloucestershire town of Bourton-on-the-Water is Cotswold Leisure – Bourton. This Gloucestershire leisure centre offers visitors a gym, swimming pool, relaxation suite, group exercise studio and Easyline small studio.
Set in the heart of Gloucestershire, Cirencester is a Roman heritage town where you can find Cotswold Leisure – Cirencester.
The leisure centre features two swimming pools, a relaxation suite, gym, sports hall, squash courts, a physiotherapy clinic and a beauty therapy centre.
In the picturesque town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire you will find Cotswold Leisure – Chipping Campden.
This leisure centre offers local people a gym, swimming pool, four court sports hall and tennis courts.
Chiltern Pools is a leisure centre in Amersham.
Our diving pool has one, three and five metre boards. Leisure pool has flumes, fountains and a water creek! Also has sporting opportunities such as the climbing wall.
Set in the heart of Leicestershire, Hinckley Leisure Centre offers local people a range of activities and facilities to help them stay active.
There is a brand new toning suite just for women, a gym, three swimming pools, group exercise studios, sports hall, squash courts, café and crèche.
Set in the heart of local parkland, Bedworth Leisure Centre offers the local community an excellent range of ways to remain active. The centre plays host to two swimming pools, a group exercise studio, a newly refurbished gym complete with the latest equipment as well as a 3G outdoor surface.
We are an indoor centre which provides a wide range of activities specifically suited to families - we have two swimming pools (one with flume ride and features), a large sports hall for ball games and racquet sports, a soft play area called Jungle Junction and creche facilities.
Enjoy our leisure pool, gym, courts, events arena and sports hall. Or enjoy our cafe or hire a room for your event.
Junior Gym
We also offer supervised junior gym sessions.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.