Save a Life, Learn to Swim campaign including giveaway

The boys have been doing weekend swimming lessons this year and I’m very happy to say it has been money well spent. Son1 has been well so we’ve been swimming nearly every day whilst on holiday and they can both jump into the pool and swim out of their depth without buoyancy aids. And they can already both beat me on both front crawl and backstroke as I’m a very poor swimmer. Yes I can swim but very slowly with dreadful style, trying to keep my head out of the water.

So I was pleased to hear about the Save a Life – Learn to Swim campaign sponsored by Swimshop. Go on, take the plunge this summer and find your local swimming pool.

Did you know that 57% of children age 7-11 do not know how to swim.

This is astonishing since under the national curriculum all schools are required to teach children to swim a distance of 25 metres confidently using a range of strokes so that they can safely rescue themselves from drowning.

It is estimated that children require at least 25 hours of lessons to swim confidently a distance of 25 metres. Primary schools are offered 18 hours of swimming lessons per child a year, way below the recommended hours. If hours were raised to 25 across all primary schools as standard the number of children who can swim would rise by 200,000.

Many schools are unaware of their student’s ability to swim. The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) suggest that swimming should come under the physical education budget and be taught as a requirement much like any other subject.

As well as a lifesaving skill the ability to swim has vast health benefits and is one of the few sports you can continue to partake in into old age.

Swimshop have also come up with some fun family swimming games you can enjoy with your children to make them feel more confident in the water. Take a look and try them out. These are handy workouts for adults too.

Steve Sharky

Polly Pink

And I’m hosting a rafflecopter competition to giveaway some specialist children’s swimming equipment courtesy of Swimshop to two lucky winners. Each prize winner will win a set of arm bands and a fun fish float (with a choice of Steve Sharky or Polly Pink). Perfect for parents helping their children to swim.

Swimshop is an online supplier of swimming costumes and swim aids.

a Rafflecopter giveaway – Please click on the link to enter.

And you may see my other giveaways here.

I’d love to hear your swimming stories.

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Disclosure.  Although I am hosting this giveaway, I have not received any product.  All opinions are my own.