A Newham swimmer’s idea to help more local children access swimming has given 780 children the opportunity to take part in free swimming lessons at the London Aquatics Centre this summer.
The Newham Future Swimmers programme, delivered through a partnership between NUEL Swim Club and Everyone Active, has helped children from primary schools across the borough build confidence in the water, learn essential swimming skills and understand how to stay safe around water.
The two-week programme took place at the London Aquatics Centre, at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with each child attending a 30-minute swimming session every day for five days.
A total of 320 children took part in the first week, which was designed for children who had never swum before. A further 460 children with some previous swimming or pool experience took part in the second week.
The idea for the programme came from 17-year-old NUEL club swimmer Jeremiah Carnegie, who wanted to help more children from his home borough benefit from having the London Aquatics Centre on their doorstep.
Jeremiah said: “The London Aquatics Centre is a fantastic venue, and the whole point of the Olympics was to boost the Newham area and borough. I wanted to find a way to make sure more children from Newham could benefit from having such a fantastic facility on their doorstep.
“I wanted to help break down some of the barriers that can prevent children from accessing swimming, particularly primary school children who have never been in a pool before. Hopefully, this gives them the opportunity to build their confidence, continue with the sport and develop a passion for swimming like I have.”
Jeremiah approached the London Aquatics Centre team with the idea, which developed into a partnership between NUEL Swim Club and Everyone Active.
Everyone Active provided the pool space and four swimming teachers, who volunteered their time to support the programme. Meanwhile, NUEL provided four coaches, as well as volunteers to help register children and guide them through the London Aquatics Centre to their sessions.
All primary schools across the London Borough of Newham were contacted about the opportunity, with 780 children signing up before the closing date.
The initiative also helped remove some of the practical barriers that can prevent children from accessing swimming. Families who indicated that they did not have essential swimming equipment, such as swimsuits, trunks or goggles, were provided with these free of charge.
Alongside their daily swimming lesson, children taking part also learnt about water safety, with a different water safety poster provided each day to reinforce what they had learnt during their session.
At the end of the programme, each child received a certificate and medal to recognise their achievement.
Sarah Cole, whose two boys, Luke and Brooklyn, took part in the programme, said: “If they’re ever in trouble in the water, they’ll have the confidence to get themselves out of it. I’m so happy with how much more confident they’ve become. We’re going on holiday this year, and it’s reassuring to know they’ll feel safer and more comfortable around water.”
The programme was designed to help children continue developing their swimming skills after completing the five-day course.
Children can continue their swimming journey through Everyone Active’s swimming lessons, while families who may find the cost of ongoing lessons a barrier may be able to access discounted options. Families are encouraged to speak to the team at the London Aquatics Centre to find out more.
Chris Wells, Contract Manager at the London Aquatics Centre, said: “It has been fantastic to see Newham Future Swimmers come to life and watch so many children build their confidence in the water over the course of the programme. Learning to swim is an important life skill, and giving children the opportunity to develop these skills in a supportive environment can make a real difference.
“We’ve loved seeing the enthusiasm from the children taking part, particularly those who had never been in a swimming pool before. Working alongside Jeremiah and the team at NUEL has allowed us to provide this opportunity to so many local children and help them take their first steps in their swimming journey.
“We hope many of the children will continue swimming beyond this programme, and we look forward to building on the success of Newham Future Swimmers in the future.”
The Mayor of Newham, Forhad Hussain, visited the London Aquatics Centre on Friday 14 August to meet children taking part in Newham Future Swimmers and see the final sessions of the programme in action.
Following the success of this year’s programme, Everyone Active and NUEL hope to build on the initiative and bring Newham Future Swimmers back next summer.
The London Aquatics Centre is managed by Everyone Active in partnership with London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).
Shazia Hussain, CEO of London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “This programme is a fantastic example of how Queen Elizabeth Park is working with our local communities to open up opportunities and help more young people in the east London access sport. Swimming is an important life skill, but it also brings significant physical and mental health benefits, helping to build confidence and resilience. The Park belongs to our communities of east London, and we are proud to see London Aquatics Centre continuing to support Newham residents and inspiring the next generation to get active in its world-class sporting venue.”