INSIGHT & ANALYSIS
INSIGHT & ANALYSIS
Salmon is “really excited” by the role swimming can play in the health of the nation, including via social prescribing
that can be enjoyed at all ages. Swim England must take its responsibility very seriously here, doing everything it can to make swimming inclusive and welcoming to all. We need to take the lead and push through a change programme to open the sport up to everyone. “As part of this, we must recognise that while pools are key, we also need to embrace and support other opportunities to get people interested in the sport. Open water swimming – wild swimming in the sea, lakes, rivers – is a great activity to do with friends. Go out, spend time in the water, connect with nature… The mental and physical health benefits are huge. Swimming isn’t just about competitions or the structure of lane swimming. “Nevertheless, we are also focused on helping operators with the strategic use of pools; when done well, this can be a great economic contributor to the business as well as bringing notable social benefits to customers.
“Social value has always been an important focus for the public sector, but it’s interesting to see how seriously the private sector is also starting to take its responsibility to community health and wellbeing, as well as to learn- to-swim.” New values, new priorities Salmon continues: “Other challenges relate to the workforce. The swim teacher shortage is an obvious one and something the sector must work collaboratively to address, so every child and adult can learn to swim. “The listening report also provided evidence that, on occasion, the culture within aquatics has fallen short of what we strive for, resulting in negative experiences within our community. We have a zero tolerance of poor behaviour and will call it out.
Swim England hasn’t previously been as good at collaborating as it could have been, but we are now addressing this
The swim teacher shortage is a challenge the sector must collaboratively address, so everyone can learn to swim, says Salmon
If our sector’s north star and common goal is to ensure everyone has a great experience, I don’t think we’ll go far wrong
“Of course, the vast majority of people involved in our sport are good people, giving generously of their time to help others enjoy swimming. We need to do better in supporting them. “This includes a need for ongoing workforce development, to ensure everyone who engages with swimming has a fantastic experience. As I say, we’re still defining a new set of values for Swim England, but if our sector’s north star and common goal is to ensure everyone has a great experience, I don’t think we’ll go far wrong.”
He concludes: “For Swim England, that means turning our traditional priorities on their heads. For too long, the culture and primary focus of the organisation has been the organisation itself. The sport came second, with the community of participants – from swimmers to teachers and coaches, parents to committee members and more – in third place. “If we want to deliver great experiences, we absolutely have to turn that upside-down to focus on participants first.”
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STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2023
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STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2024
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