Greenwich Hospital and the Andrew Simpson Foundation (ASF) are delighted to announce the launch of Swim Free, a brand new swimming programme for Naval families.
Swim Free will enable children and young people from Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary families to develop and grow their confidence in and around the water. The programme will deliver free swimming lessons aligned to the Swim England and Scottish Swimming pathways and establish the foundations for developing swimming skills for life and potential career opportunities in the future.
Commenting on the Swim Free programme, Deirdre Mills, Director of Greenwich, said:
“Our vision is to enable children and young people from the Naval community to have access, without barriers, to additional swimming lessons, providing them with the opportunity to become confident swimmers throughout their lives. We want to create pathways for further opportunities in and around the water for all Naval families.”
The programme will enable young people to discover new swim skills and develop an affinity with the water. Research shows that water-based activities can increase physical and mental resilience in young people and help to improve their confidence and self-belief.
Swim Free will initially pilot in Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Helensburgh, with plans to establish a comprehensive network of swimming locations across the UK.
Involving Naval families in their local communities is an integral part of Swim Free. The programme will provide family swimming sessions as well as highlighting other water-based activities. Swim Free will work with local swimming facilities to support families who may struggle to access them, creating opportunities to bring Naval communities together.
Richard Percy, CEO of the Andrew Simpson Foundation, said:
“The ASF is delighted to partner with Greenwich Hospital to develop and deliver the Swim Free programme. Through Swim Free, we hope to reframe the challenges that young people from Naval families may face by providing access to the benefits of a physical education through enriching experiences and setting young people up with swimming skills for life.”
Register your interest in the Swim Free programme by visiting: https://swim-free.org.uk
