Swimming pool programme changes at Horfield and Henbury Leisure Centres

Release Date:  09-Feb-2010

Changes to the swim programme at Horfield and Henbury Leisure centres are set to be introduced from the end of March 2010.

The move follows a decision by members of Bristol’s Partnership Board, who have been looking to find a balance between the various needs of swimmers and the city’s hugely successful free swim offer.

Open public swimming session, lessons for learners and improvers, water fitness classes and elite swim squad training all want to have dedicated time within Bristol’s busy swim programme.

Improved scheduling of specific time slots at Horfield and Henbury Leisure Centres will better accommodate swimmers’ needs and ease the pressures at busy times, especially on weekdays from 3.30pm to 7pm and on Saturday mornings.

“The number of swimmers taking up our free swim offer has exceed all expectation,“ says, Councillor Simon Cook, Bristol’s deputy leader and cabinet member for culture, sport and capital projects. “And while we are delighted with the response - we do need to take into consideration the needs of other swimmers, specially learners and elite training.

“The rescheduling and timetabling at both Henbury and Horfield, so that swim programmes complement each other rather than compete with each other, means we will be able offer over 400 more swimming lesson places and increase public swimming capacity.”

SLM - who manage Bristol’s sports and leisure centres on behalf on the council will be contacting all Everyone Active Card holders informing them of the new swim schedules at Horfield and Henbury Leisure Centres. Full details can be found at www.everyoneactive.co.uk or www.bristol.gov.uk/sport

· Take up of free swims (for people aged 60 and over and for young people aged 16 and under) in Bristol has been hugely successful, with 109,000 swims in the first seven months from April 2009 to the end of November 2009. Of these, 43, 000 swims have been taken up by older people, this represents a 300 per cent increase on the previous year.
 

Author:  Helen Hewitt, Media Officer, 0117 922 2646

For all media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Corporate Communications on 0117 922 2650.

To link to this page directly, use the URL
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/redirect?oid=PressRelease-id-33355053

Subscribe to our free email bulletin service and get the latest news and information about consultations and events happening in the city - www.bristol.gov.uk/newsdirect