Swimmers from Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching sessions are looking to dive into history with the Great Royal Swim Challenge by taking on the challenge to collectively swim from the Royal Commonwealth Pool to Balmoral Castle in celebration of the King’s Coronation.
Children in Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching classes in Swim Skills 4, Club Ready and Junior Skills & Drills classes, will aim to swim a total of 166km, the distance between the Royal Commonwealth Pool and Balmoral Castle, during their swim lessons between now and 5th May, with each class totalling the distance they swim.
As there are different numbers of classes at each pool it will be an Edinburgh Leisure team challenge and the total distance in metres for all pools will be accumulated to reach Balmoral Castle.
Marie Kneeshaw, Edinburgh Leisure’s Aquatics Development Officer explained: “Our swim coordinators collectively came up with this exciting challenge for swimmers in our coaching classes to take on the challenge to swim 166km, the distance between the Commie Pool and Balmoral Castle, aiming to complete the challenge by Friday, 5th May, just before the King’s Coronation.
“This will be an amazing target to reach and hopefully this will get our swimmers up for the challenge.”
At the end of the challenge each swimmer in the Swim Skills 4, Club Ready and Junior Skills & Drills will receive a certificate of congratulations for taking part in the Great Royal Swim.
Follow the children’s progress by following Edinburgh Leisure on their social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
To mark the end of a lifesaving summer, the Black Owned Swim School (B.O.S.S) has held two events to give young people the opportunity to enjoy water safely by having their first dip in open water.
The events were held at lakes in Tamworth, Staffordshire, and Stoke Newington, London and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) was proud to help support by offering open water coaching and safety tips ahead of the swims.
National charity RLSS UK aims to reach as many people as possible to allow everyone the opportunity to enjoy water safely, no matter their background. The charity has partnered with charitable organisation B.O.S.S who aim to work to prevent drowning in the most vulnerable, at risk communities in aquatics.
During the summer months, young people from Birmingham and London were able to head to their local pools to take part in swimming and lifesaving sessions to give them the skills needed to enjoy water safely thanks to B.O.S.S and RLSS UK.
Annalize Butler is the owner and founder of B.O.S.S and has been teaching swimming for 15 years, and was the driving force behind the lifesaving summer events.
Annalize said: “I work in an environment where I might be the only black person on the poolside within the whole city. Sources show that in England only 2% of regular swimmers are from the black community.
“By working with organisations such as RLSS UK, we can actively change the way people think about swimming. B.O.S.S is about reconnecting people with the water in an effortless and exciting way, bringing new opportunities to engage an under-represented audience and level up in the aquatics industry.
“It is scary how many people are affected by drowning in the black community, and it is my mission to make my community water safe.”
The lifesaving summer events have been a great success, involving many young people and equipping them with skills and knowledge around the water.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “Providing young people with the opportunity to get into a swimming pool and not only to learn to swim, but to learn vital lifesaving skills is something that should be available to all children.
“We work with organisations such as B.O.S.S to reach and build communities from under-represented groups with limited access and opportunities in swimming. Events like lifesaving summer are a fantastic way to get young people involved with swimming and lifesaving, and change attitudes to water to ensure they can safely enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.”
“The long term goal is to light the pathway for young people to represent their communities through the aquatics workforce. We want more young people from ethnically diverse communities taking up the personal opportunity to lifeguard our water, creating spaces where our diverse communities feel they can be safe and welcomed.”
The lifesaving summer sessions were delivered by experts in water safety and targeted those aged 10 and over and their families to educate them on how to stay safe in the water and in turn reduce the number of drownings that are usually seen during the summer months.
The sessions were also delivered in tribute to 15 year old Thandolwethu Ndlovu, who drowned in Derbyshire in 2021.
The first event was held at West Reservoir in Stoke Newington, London on 1st September and targeted local residents as well as young teenagers who are unlikely to have access to swimming lessons in their local leisure centres, and their parents.
Many of the swimmers had taken part in the sessions during the summer and during the event at West Reservoir they were able to take on a 50m challenge and put the skills they had learnt over the summer to the test. They were also able to try their hand at kayaking.
The second event was held in Tamworth, Staffordshire on 3rd September at Cliff Lakes Aquapark which has a number of outdoor swimming lanes, open water swimming opportunities, as well as the aqua park. The event saw a number of young people in attendance and they were able to make exclusive use of the 50m lanes for their open water swimming challenge.
B.O.S.S has been working with the young Birmingham swimmers throughout the summer, teaching them to swim as well as teaching them vital lifesaving skills and the event was a perfect opportunity for them to put their new skills to the test.
All attendees were able to learn more about water safety from an RLSS UK qualified trainer, to ensure they had the right knowledge before getting in the water. Whilst the children were in the water, parents and supervisors were able to proudly watch whilst also learning about lifesaving themselves.
Both events were enjoyed by all involved with young children, teenagers and adults taking part who now have the skills and knowledge to stay safe in, on and around water.
Former Scots Guard Fraser Rowand (CORR) said he was “completely shocked” to win the silver medal in the cross-fit event at the Veteran Games in Israel.
Fraser, 41, has returned to Edinburgh after the “inspiring” event last week which brought together wounded, injured and sick veterans from across the UK and Israel.
The former Lance Corporal from Granton took up exercise to help recover from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He struggled after leaving the Armed Forces in 2013 but started to turn his life around with help from Poppyscotland. He now works in Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.
Fraser joined a team of 60 from across the UK and competed in the swimming and cross-fit events. He was also reunited with his former platoon commander, Leo Docherty, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, who supported the Games.
Fraser said that the competition had motivated him to continue training and pursue his dream of qualifying as a personal trainer.
He said: “I was completely shocked to win the silver medal. I just went in and hoped for the best. I managed to complete all the tasks and thought it went well.
“The whole experience was unreal. Everyone was so welcoming, and we were treated like VIPs every day. There was a wonderful atmosphere, especially with support from all the families.
“It was truly inspiring to meet other veterans and humbling to learn about their experiences. Everyone had different abilities – there were people in wheelchairs, those who were blind or had other disabilities. But there was a real sense of pride in what they were doing, and they all refused to give up.
“I felt that the swimming event on Tuesday went badly and that knocked my confidence a little. But then the next day I had a fresh start in the cross-fit. It really shows what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.
“Although it was a competition, there was a real sense of camaraderie, and we were in it together. We also met professors from both countries who were there to discuss the physical and mental health aspects. There was no divide between us, and we’d all sit down together to have dinner each night. I’ve made some great friends and we’ll stay in touch.
“It’s hard to explain the powerful impact that this event had. I think it’s going to take me a few weeks to come back down from it. But it has really motivated me to move forward and continue to work at becoming a personal trainer.
Fraser, a father-of-five, travelled to Israel with his wife Susan, as well as other competitors and their families. The families also enjoyed a range of cultural excursions around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in between events.
He also laid a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves in Jerusalem.
Charlie Pelling, manager of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory,said: “Congratulations to Fraser on this fantastic achievement. His commitment and motivation are truly inspiring, and this is thoroughly well deserved.
“The Veterans Games are a wonderful event that recognises the power of sport and comradeship in supporting veterans’ mental and physical health. I hope that Fraser’s story will inspire other veterans who are facing similar challenges.”
The Veteran Games was organised by Beit Halochem UK, a national charity devoted to raising awareness and funds for Israel’s wounded veterans and victims of terror. The event recognises the fundamental role played by sport and family in supporting veterans’ recovery after physical and psychological challenges.
Participants competed in a wide range of sports, while also learning how their respective countries provide care for former servicemen and women who are wounded, sick and injured. The conference also saw internationally renowned academics and mental health experts from both countries meet to discuss veterans’ health, recovery, and welfare issues.
The Games are entirely funded by philanthropic donations, with Poppyscotland providing support with travel expenses for five Scottish competitors.
A former Scots Guard from Edinburgh, who now works in Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, is traveling to Israel today (SATURDAY 28th MAY) to compete in the Veteran Games.
Fraser Rowand, 41, from Granton, said that exercise was a vital part of his recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He will join around 65 veterans from across the UK to take part in the international event in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem next week (Sunday 29th May – Friday 3rd June).
First held in 2019, the Veteran Games bring together wounded, injured and sick Armed Forces veterans with their Israeli counterparts who are battling similar challenges.
Fraser, a former Lance Corporal and father-of-five, has been selected to take part in the cross-fit and swimming events. He left the Army in 2013 after more than a decade’s service but struggled to adapt to civilian life after losing close friends in Afghanistan.
He managed to turn his life around with the help of Poppyscotland and joined the team at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory four years ago. He also started exercising in his free time and is working to qualify as a personal trainer.
Fraser said: “I didn’t realise I had PTSD until several years afterward, but I think it had always been there. I lost three close friends in Afghanistan. It’s hard to describe what it was like out there, but you just had to get on with doing the job.
“When I left, I found it hard to settle down to a civilian job. In the Army you’re part of a big team, and you lose that when you leave. It was only through sitting down with different organisations that I was able to start working through it.
“I was very fortunate to hear about the job at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory. It’s all set up for veterans and you’ve got that camaraderie here. I don’t know what I would have done without it.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity. I’ve never done an international competition, but I’m looking forward to competing with other veterans and meeting like-minded people.”
Fraser’s wife, Susan, will be traveling with him along with other competitors’ families. They will also have a chance to take part in social and cultural activities over the week.
The Veteran Games are organised by Beit Halochem UK, a national charity devoted to raising awareness and funds for Israel’s wounded veterans and victims of terror. The event recognises the fundamental role played by sport and family in supporting veterans’ recovery after physical and psychological challenges.
Participants compete in a wide range of sports, while also learning how their respective countries provide care for former servicemen and women who are wounded, sick and injured.
Charlie Pelling, manager of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory,said: “We’re delighted that Fraser has been selected to compete and wish him the best of luck.
“The Veteran Games is a wonderful initiative that recognises the important role of sport and comradeship in supporting veterans’ physical and mental health. This is an opportunity to highlight the resilience of our Armed Forces community and raise awareness of issues facing them and their families.”
The first event of its kind, the Veteran Games and Conference is funded entirely by philanthropic donations, with Poppyscotland and Legion Scotland providing support with travel expenses for five Scottish competitors.
Events will be held at Beit Halochem’s pioneering state-of-the-art facilities, which offers rehabilitation, sports and recreation centres and lifelong care for disabled veterans and their families in Israel.
The conference will see internationally renowned academics and mental health experts from both countries meet to discuss veterans’ health, recovery, and welfare issues.
Launching the event, Leo Docherty MP, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, said: “Sport is an integral part of the rehabilitation and recovery journey for wounded veterans.
“The 2022 Veteran Games highlights how sport can provide amazing opportunities for veterans across the globe to connect, over shared experiences.
“I wish good luck to all the athletes in this year’s games and thank charities across the UK for their continued dedication and support for our disabled veterans.”
Labour list MSP for Lothian region Foysol Choudhury returned to the Public Petitions Committee yesterday to continue his support for a local constituent, Lewis Condy, who is highlighting the importance of children having access to swimming lessons.
His petition was last discussed in November last year when the Committee decided to write to key write to key sector organisations to gather more information.
The Committee heard evidence that over 40% of children leave primary education unable to swim and that there is a direct correlation between a child’s social and economic background and their opportunity to learn to swim.
Mr Choudhury said: “We know that having access to swimming lessons gives people a benefit to their safety in and around water, and to their health, fitness and wellbeing.
“The Committee has heard that there are significant gaps in the provision of swimming lessons with the availability of facilities and the cost of lessons being significant factors driving unequal access.
“Resolving these inequalities is a matter of equality opportunity.
“Currently, there is no statutory curriculum for learning to swim in Scotland.
“We have seen from the responses to my constituent’s petition, there is widespread support within the sector and from the public for doing more on this issue.
“I am delighted that the Committee has agreed to keep this petition open and write to Scottish Government to find out how they intend to proceed.
Fellow Labour committee member Paul Sweeney MSP said: “Teaching kids to swim is a fundamental lifesaving exercise.
“It is not a recreational activity, necessarily. I think it’s important to consider it as a public safety matter rather than a sporting matter”.
To see a video of the discussion please click here
Funding from Swim England has enabled Edinburgh Leisure’s Royal Commonwealth Pool to install ‘a Poolpod’, a submersible lift, creating inclusive swimming environments for people with long-term health conditions, disabilities and rehabilitation needs.
The London Marathon Charitable Trust (LMCT) provided a £750,000 grant in 2020 to allow Swim England and its partners, the Activity Alliance, Community Leisure UK and GLL – to enhance swimming provisions at selected venues across the UK. The Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh is the only Scottish recipient, out of 20 sites across the UK, to receive the funding.
With one in five people in our population disabled or living with a long-term health condition, ‘the Poolpod’ gives dignified and independent access to the water for swimmers.
Lynne Bauba, Manager at Edinburgh Leisure explained: “The Poolpod was installed just before the lockdown in March 2020, and with the reduced capacity in our pool when we reopened due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to shout about the Poolpod until now.
“However, regular customers with long-term health conditions, disabilities and rehabilitation needs, have been delighted with this new facility.”
One such customer, Alison Malcolm, who became paralysed from the waist down aged 50, explains how she has benefitted from using the new Poolpod and why she loves swimming.
“When I got back in the pool for the first time, my body confidence was low, and I was concerned I wouldn’t float. It sounds daft but after five months in bed, it took a long time for my body to reset.
“However, the staff were great about encouraging me to swim. I’ve never met a member of staff who didn’t want to help.
“Swimming is one of the most accessible ways for people with disabilities to incorporate physical activity into their lives. One of the things I like most about it is that once you’re in the water, you’re the same as everyone else. It has been a great way for me to get active again and using the Poolpod to get in and out of the pool has made the whole experience more enjoyable.
“Now I tend to swim 24 lengths at the Commie three mornings a week. I enjoy the 50m lengths because I can get in the zone and give myself a cardio workout without putting too much strain on my body.”
Edinburgh Leisure boasts 18 swimming pools across the city, including their stunning Victorian swimming baths and pools within the secondary schools.
They offer a variety of pool-based activities to suit all abilities and while the Royal Commonwealth Pool is the only one to boast a Poolpod, most of them have hoists, which the leisure attendants are trained on, to assist people less able to access the pools.
Sir Rodney Walker, Chairperson of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: “The Trust funds work which challenges inequality of access to physical activity. We want to help create a society in which everyone is physically active, contributing to their health and wellbeing.
“We know that people who benefit most from aquatic activity – including disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, older people, people with mobility issues and pregnant women – often face the biggest barriers to accessing a swimming pool.”
This exciting initiative is making swimming pools across the UK more accessible and ensuring a more inclusive customer experience for all.
The substantial grant from the LMCT has boosted Swim England’s Water Wellbeing model, which aims to help leisure centres remove barriers to accessing the water.
Water Wellbeing’s ‘whole facility’ approach encourages centres to understand and improve the customer experience, through a wide range of resources available on the Swim England website.
Olympic medallist plans to launch three new Swim Academies in Edinburgh this Autumn
Olympic medallist turned entrepreneur Michael Jamieson is diving into a new pool of business opportunity by opening three new Edinburgh venues for his hugely over-subscribed Swimming Academies.
The Edinburgh initiative will launch on Saturday, 18 September, and each succeeding Saturday, at the University of Edinburgh pool in The Pleasance, which will accommodate 200 learners, and will be followed on 4 October by classes at the Novotel Hermiston Gate pool for adult and baby, under 3-year-olds. Shortly afterwards the Academy will launch classes at Oriam, Heriot Watt University, a 4 days a week offering in a world class sports facility.
The expansion from his successful West of Scotland operation puts the Michael Jamieson Swimming Academy (MJSA) back into the fast lane after it was hit, like all other people-facing businesses, by the last 18 months of Covid restrictions.
The Academy’s classes at the Glasgow University and Radio Clyde pools are now operating again with 400 and 300 learners respectively, and Hamilton College pool, with capacity for 600 learners, will re-open on Monday, 27th September.
Further expansion in the west will come with the opening of the Argyle Hotel pool in Glasgow for 150 learners on Friday, 1 October.
Michael, 33, who won silver at the 2012 London Olympics, said: “We have a team of over 20 teachers operating in Glasgow and Edinburgh and will be adding to this in the coming months to ensure an efficient transition to our offerings in Edinburgh.
“Pre-Covid we had 800 kids swimming weekly. We are looking to support around 1500 by the turn of the year with the addition of the new facilities. We are also rolling out an educational curriculum alongside our swim programme to support the early development of positive self-talk and early elements of emotional intelligence.
“We have had support from mental health professionals and psychologists to develop this content and it is something I believe will set us apart in the sector.”
The energetic Glaswegian has distinguished his Academy by using private and hotel pools rather than local authority facilities.
He said: “We are able to create a healthy working relationship with private facilities and share in the passion of offering value to the community. We have targeted these venues specifically to offer the best product, with the best partnership teams in the area.
“I have a fantastic relationship with the team at the University of Edinburgh and have many happy memories there. We are excited to partner with them to offer a rewarding learn-to- swim journey now and in the future.”
On the series of drowning deaths across the UK during the recent spells of warm weather, Michael believes this has emphasised to many parents just how important it is to teach children to swim from the earliest possible age.
“There have been too many tragic stories recently in Scotland. Too many kids are leaving school without basic water safety skills. Without significant investment and support, we will continue, sadly, to see the disparity in the numbers of kids unable to swim by the time they leave school.
“Swimming pools are notoriously expensive to maintain but we must find creative strategies to offer a life skill in our communities in a financially sustainable manner.”
After consolidating his Edinburgh Swim Academy initiatives, Michael plans to expand further into a wider range of fitness and healthcare businesses.
“Our immediate plans are to protect and consolidate this exciting growth phase we are in currently. We are actively looking for further venue partners in Glasgow and Edinburgh to keep up with the increasing post pandemic demand for kids’ sport.
“It’s great to see such an appetite for swimming and we are committed to spreading our valued product around Scotland. Our smaller class ratios enable us to ensure our kids have a rewarding experience, building a strong rapport with our Level 2 qualified teachers.
“We maintain a high level of in-house competency training and only employ Level 2 qualified teachers to ensure we are providing the best product in the market. The majority of our teachers are qualified in Mental Health First Aid & this is something we are passionate about continuing.
“It’s an exciting year for us and I am proud of the team we have put in place. Creating sustainable growth is the challenge, but we have the core team and support team behind us to do so.”
Thanks to funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure were able to bring back a summer of fun safely to their venues across this city and supported 126 children and families living on low incomes to get active and enjoy their summer.
The Scottish Government released funding to local authorities across Scotland to help address the negative impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland.
The priority for this funding was to provide opportunities that allowed children and young people to socialise and reconnect with peers, get active and most importantly have fun, during the summer.
Edinburgh Leisure offered parents or guardians, living on a low income and wanted their child to have the opportunity to take part in fun, engaging and exciting sports this summer to apply for funded places.
Spaces were available on Edinburgh Leisure’s swimming, gymnastics, dance, and tennis programmes, with no cost to the family applying. The coaching programmes took place in a variety of venues across the city, at various dates, with some one-day sessions and some full-week activity programmes.
Edinburgh Leisure also offered 320 spaces for families to attend their AquaDash Extreme and Clip n Climb sessions.
Families who were eligible for the programme included children who receive school uniform and meal grants, care experienced children, young carers, children whose families are in receipt of Universal Credit and children supported by a child’s plan.
Tommy George, Community Development Manager at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “For many families, finances are really tight and getting involved in activities during the holidays can be prohibitive due to cost.
“Thanks to funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, however, we were able to support families living on low incomes to ‘Get Into Summer’ by getting active, learn key skills, build confidence and esteem, as well as having fun, in a safe environment.”
Edinburgh Leisure also provided a free football programme for young people from S1 to S6 to take part in and a weekly free ‘Sport on the Beach’ session at Portobello for primary school-aged children.
Edinburgh Leisure is joining forces with city-based charity, NappiRunz, to support families struggling with nappy poverty by offering free swim nappies at four of their swimming venues.
The swim nappies will be available at Edinburgh Leisure’s Gracemount Leisure Centre, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and the Royal Commonwealth Pool. Customers will be able to request a single nappy per child, per visit, no questions asked.
Ed Bethune, Duty Manager at Gracemount Leisure Centre said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Nappirunz in providing free swim nappies to families who might have found the cost of nappies prohibitive to come swimming and get active.
“All a customer needs to do to receive a swim nappy is to ask one of Welcome Hosts at the reception desk in each centre. No questions will be asked by us, other than to check what size the customer needs.”
The scheme will start on Wednesday, 19 May and will be dependent on stock levels. As Nappirunz receive more stock, they will deliver more to the four sites.
Set up in 2015 by Toyin Ware, NappiRunz provides support to families by collecting unused nappies from the local community and donating them to other charities and organisations that support families in need.
Toyin Ware said: “Nappy poverty can have such a huge impact on not just the hygiene and wellbeing needs of the child but for the parent or caregiver too.
“It’s great that another charity, Edinburgh Leisure, can help in our cause by distributing the swim nappies, meaning families will have one less barrier to keeping active.”
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity on a mission to help people lead healthier, happier, more active lives. They run over 50 sport and leisure venues and are committed to creating opportunities for everyone to get active and stay active.
Their Active Communities Programme harnesses the power of physical activity and sport to tackle inequalities and combat the effects of inactivity.
