Part of the government’s strategy to secure a long-term legacy from the London 2012 Olympics is their support for free swimming for under 16’s and over 60’s.
The programme is delivered through participating local authorities. In August the government announced the release of additional funds to support the free swimming initiative. Surrey Heath Council has been quick to seek support for free swimming at the Arena Leisure Centre.
At the council’s executive meeting on September 8th it resolved:
- To take part in the free swimming programme, contributing £16,000 [half the cost] to enable a three month delivery extension from March 2011 to June 2011.
- Implementation of the scheme be delegated to the Director of Customer Services after consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Arts and Leisure.
I don’t know when the free swimming will start, although as the programme received final approval this week I doubt it’ll be too long. I know the council are hoping that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will extend the scheme beyong 2011, right up to the Olympics. We can but hope.
What an excellent idea. Shame I won’t benefit from it personally, but the thing putting my grandparents off going to the pool is the stupidly expensive entry fee. With all their health problems (dodgy knees in particular) swimming would do them a world of good… let’s hope it becomes a permanent thing after 2011! Joe
By: Joe Jeffries on September 18, 2009
at 10:37 am
[...] swimming at the Arena from 1st November The government-backed free swimming initiative, adopted by Surrey Heath in September, is set to begin at Camberley’s Arena Leisure Centre from Sunday 1st November this [...]
By: Free swimming at the Arena from 1st November « Lightwater on October 28, 2009
at 9:07 am