Free summer swimming lessons for 6,000 children
The lessons have been made available to children who are part of Wiltshire Council's FUEL programme, as well as pupils in secondary schools who received free school meals.
Up to 10 lessons will be provided at council-run leisure centres with a pool, such as Marlborough Leisure Centre and Calne Community Campus.
Councillor Jon Hubbard, cabinet member for education at Wiltshire Council, said "a few pennies behind the sofa" helped pay for the scheme.
More news stories for Wiltshire
Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire
Mr Hubbard told BBC Radio Wiltshire the extra money for the swimming lessons cost £45,000, and money had been used from Public Health England funding and the children's services budget.
"For some of our young people who have six or seven weeks at home without school, having these positive and fun activities for them to go and take part in is a really important thing we offer", he said.
"I want them to have fun. I want them to have positive activities to be able to look back on and say, 'that was a really cracking time we've had'.
"And to have made new friendships, had a positive experience and something they can build happy memories."
He said schools would have told parents whether they were eligible, and sent out an invitation for the FUEL programme.
Parents of children eligible for free school meals needed to show proof of the entitlement at a pool.
A full list of the swimming pools at which the lessons will be held can be found here:
Bradford on Avon
Calne Community Campus
Devizes Leisure Centre
Durrington Swimming and Fitness Centre
Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre
Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, Royal Wootton Bassett
Marlborough Leisure Centre
Melksham Community Campus
Olympiad Leisure Centre, Chippenham
Springfield Community Campus, Corsham
The Activity Zone, Malmesbury
The Vale Community Campus, Pewsey
Tidworth Leisure Centre
Trowbridge Sports Centre
Warminster Sports Centre
Westbury Pool
Wiltshire Council said the scheme would be reviewed in autumn after it finished.
Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Health Hydro pool work is almost completed
Soldiers beat choppy waters in Channel swim
Nature reserve to be 'transformed' with £100k boost
Related Internet Links
Wiltshire Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brains Aged Faster In 2021–2022: What Did The Pandemic Do To Us?
A new study suggests that the pandemic may have had a significant impact on our brains, whether or not we contracted COVID-19. Leveraging an extensive database of brain scans, British researchers say that people's brains showed accelerated aging during 2021 and 2022, including signs of shrinkage. While people who were infected with COVID also showed cognitive decline, like slower processing speed, the study was notable because it said even the non-infected were likely to experience harm to their brain. While the study did not delve into the exact causes of the accelerated aging, the study's first author, Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad, a neuroimaging researcher at the University of Nottingham, theorizes that it may have been the result of stress and other factors. 'But it is likely that the cumulative experience of the pandemic—including psychological stress, social isolation, disruptions in daily life, reduced activity and wellness—contributed to the observed changes… In this sense, the pandemic period itself appears to have left a mark on our brains, even in the absence of infection,' said Mohammadi-Nejad, per NBC. The researchers found that males and 'those from more socioeconomically deprived backgrounds' experienced the most significant brain aging. Overall, the pandemic was thought to be linked to a 5.5-month acceleration in the aging process. This is not the first time researchers have reached similar conclusions. Last year, a previous study found that teenagers experienced dramatic brain aging during the pandemic. Notably, the study suggested that girls' brains aged 4.2 years faster and boys' brains aged 1.3 years faster, on average. The latest study does not indicate whether the structural changes identified in individuals who have never contracted COVID will result in any noticeable changes in brain function. Nor does the study confirm whether the physical changes will persist over the long term, says Adam Brickman, a professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, who was not involved in the study.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
John Swinney pays tribute to Scottish woman who lost battle with anorexia aged 20
First Minister John Swinney has paid tribute to a young Scottish constituent who sadly lost her battle with anorexia earlier this year. The first minister attended a charity park run, which was organised by the family of Rachel Bywater from Aberfeldy, to raise funds for BEAT, the UK's leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders, reports The Record. Swinney joined the family of Rachel, who sadly died on May 17 this year aged just 20 years old, at the event which has raised an amazing £7,500 for the charity. READ MORE: Netflix viewers rush to watch 'compelling' BBC drama series set in Edinburgh READ MORE: Edinburgh's first 'queer cafe' announces closure as owners say 'this is only the beginning' The MSP for Perthshire North shared a snap of the group together sporting their, 'Run for Rachel' t-shirts and wrote: "A special privilege to join the family of Rachel Bywater - one of my constituents who faced an eating disorder and sadly died recently aged only 20 - to run a 5k and raise funds for Beat (Eating Disorders). "Wonderful to see so many in the #Aberfeldy community supporting today." Her father Dave Bywater added: "Thank you John, it was great to have your support and that of the community. 'I hope everyone who reads these posts can realise there is a family behind this who are suffering a tragic loss, and ignore the offensive responses you have received." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Ahead of the event her family wrote: "We will be installing a new bench on the River Bank for Rachel Bywater, who very sadly passed away on May 17th this year. "To mark the occasion a fund raiser will be held on the Sunday to raise funds for BEAT (Eating Disorders). All you have to do is walk, jog or run 1, 2 or 3 laps of the FeldyRoo Fitness Trail. "The choice is yours, all we want is everyone to get involved. You can fill in an entry form and pick up sponsorship form at any of the pubs - Fountain, Black Wach or Schiehallion. "Entry is totally free but raised sponsorship or donations on the day would be really appreciated no matter how little or large."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Merck (MRK) as a Reliable Dividend Player in the Dogs of the Dow Lineup
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is included among the 11 Dogs of the Dow Dividend Stocks to Buy Now. A close-up of a person's hand holding a bottle of pharmaceuticals. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has faced stock pressure due to its reliance on Keytruda but is diversifying. On July 9, Merck announced it would acquire UK biotech Verona Pharma for $10 billion, adding Ohtuvayre, a promising COPD treatment approved last year, to its portfolio. Ohtuvayre has had a strong launch and is being studied for more uses. Some analysts predict its sales could reach $4 billion, potentially making it another blockbuster for Merck. In its first quarter earnings, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) highlighted that it began the year with strong progress, driven by growing contributions from its recently commercialized medicines and vaccines, along with ongoing advancements in its pipeline. It is focused and determined to fully capitalize on near-term opportunities while swiftly advancing the next wave of innovations that will improve patient outcomes and create long-term value for all stakeholders. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is also popular because of its dividend growth history, which spans 16 consecutive years. Currently, the company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.81 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.82%, as of July 26. While we acknowledge the potential of MRK as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
