Save our pools and keep young people in the swim

Swimming is a unique activity.

- writes Karen Howells, senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Not only is it an Olympic sport but it's also a form of exercise and a lifesaving endeavour. How many other physical activities can boast such a claim?So, it is no surprise that swimming holds such appeal in the UK, where there is a diverse range of enthusiasts. We have Olympic champions, a world record-holding nonagenarian, a new wave of cold water dippers, competitive swimmers, and parent and toddler groups who all love the water. For children, swimming is both a sporting endeavour and a fun leisure activity that is frequently associated with hot summer holidays.

That's what makes recent reports into the dire state of children's swimming so concerning. A BBC report found that between 2019 and 2022, one in six local authorities in the UK had seen at least one swimming pool close.

Swim England, the national governing body for swimming, has estimated that around one in four children leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres. That number is expected to rise to as many as six in 10 by 2025.

We're going to have a situation very soon, dare I say it, where white middle-class children will be able to swim and the rest won't.