Public leisure operators believe that without financial support to mitigate against the increases in energy costs over the coming months, hundreds, potentially thousands of leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools could be lost.
The RLSS UK says it is ‘unthinkable that pool closures will mean more children potentially losing out on the life skill of learning to swim and how to enjoy water safely – simply because they do not have a pool to learn and swim in.’
The charity said, ‘In 2010, swimming pools were closed due to Covid-19, and people flocked to beaches, rivers, lakes and other waters to have fun. Many children hadn’t had swimming lessons for some time and had missed out on their regular visits to the pool with friends or family. This resulted in a drop in water confidence and swimming ability and has unfortunately ultimately resulted in a year-on-year increase in UK accidental drownings through 2020 and 2021.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here