Champion Swimmer Adam Whitehead launches Make a Splash in Highgate

Wednesday 13 July 2011 at 15:52

Olympic swimmer Adam Whitehead was at a school in Haringey on Tuesday to officially open an innovative mobile swimming pool built within the school’s grounds.

 

The former Commonwealth and European Champion helped launch the facility at Highgate Primary School, which is aimed at encouraging people to take up swimming ahead of the London Olympics.

 

Whitehead said: “Swimming is an important life skill that all children should learn and it’s fantastic that PlaySport London Make a Splash is working with Highgate Primary to offer free school swimming lessons.”

 

“I also want to encourage as many people as possible from the local community to take advantage of this excellent temporary pool while it’s here.”

 

Make a Splash is part of the Mayor of London’s PlaySport London programme, which is designed to ensure a lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim is to ensure Londoners benefit from inspirational projects that significantly increase participation in sport and physical activity, as well as using sport to tackle social issues.

 

The programme in Highgate is aiming to teach around 1,000 local children to swim, and will deliver hundreds of lessons over the three month period. It is hoped that this will help local children achieve the National Curriculum target of learning to swim 25m unaided by the time they leave primary school.

 

One in five children in the England leave primary school without being able to swim, and this statistic can rise to four in five in communities with limited access to a pool.

 

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “With just over a year to go before the Olympic and Paralympic Games come to town, it is vital that we get kids of all ages active and into sport. This is why we are investing in a raft of brilliant schemes like this, which bring sports facilities right to the heart of the community. So my message to everyone in Highgate is to come and take the plunge in this fantastic portable pool.”

 

In addition to school swimming, the pool also delivers a variety of sessions aimed at engaging the local community for just £2 per session. It will remain on site until September 2011 will deliver sessions for all ages and abilities throughout the summer holidays.

 

William Dean, Headteacher Highgate Primary said: ‘When I ask the children what changes they would like at Highgate Primary, alongside a time-travel machine and an ice cream parlour, a swimming pool is usually top of the list. Whilst I am yet to deliver the first two requests, I am really pleased that all the children at Highgate Primary will be swimming in a heated pool this summer term.’

 

Total Swimming manages Make a Splash on behalf of the Mayor of London. It is currently seeking other schools and local authorities in London which would like to benefit from the programme.

 

 Make a Splash Programme Manager Chris Cooper said:

 

“There are opportunities for a further 10 local communities to have a Make a Splash pool between now and 2013, and I would like to encourage anyone who is interested to get in touch through our website.

 

“We would like to hear not only from schools, but also from local authorities and community groups who could potentially benefit from this unique project.”

 

The timtable for the community programme at Highgate Primary School can be viewed online at www.makeasplashlondon.org. The cost is £2 per person and a minimum of three sessions can be booked at one time. Sessions are paid for over the phone on 0844 736 9047.

 

The community sessions include Aqua Fitness, child and adult learn to swim lessons and Children’s Fun sessions. The pool can also be booked for children's parties.