Children learn to swim in lessons funded by harbour

HUNDREDS of children in Dartmouth and Stoke Fleming will be given potentially life-saving swimming lessons under a new five-year plan funded by Dart Harbour.

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Dartmouth Academy, the Dartmouth Indoor Pool Trust (DIPT) and the Dart Harbour Authority have combined to ensure regular swimming sessions are included in the curriculum for all primary school pupils in the area.

The initiative builds on a pilot scheme launched last autumn by DIPT in collaboration with Dartmouth Academy, Stoke Fleming and St John's primary schools. It saw most children achieve the national benchmark of swimming at least 25 metres.

The new funding ensures the programme will continue, with an emphasis on developing swimming skills and water safety knowledge considered essential in a coastal community such as Dartmouth.