One in three children in the UK who have completed primary school are unable to swim, and it is predicted that without intervention 60 percent of children will leave school unable to swim in 2026. Meanwhile, childhood drowning has increased at a rate of 43 percent. In response to these alarming data, Speedo Swim United has presented to the UK government a report titled Taking Pools to Playgrounds, in which it details a pop-up pool program to teach children to swim.
Speedo Swim United is an initiative by swimwear brand Speedo to help kids in need to learn to swim and find their joy in the water. It has taken the temporary pools program to seven schools in poor communities in the Black Country, in England’s Midlands. This area has a swimming attainment of less than 50 percent, even though most of its children live within walking distance of open water.
In just three weeks, 36.4 percent or previously non-swimming kids could swim at least 25 meters unaided, and nine in ten children had acquired safe self-rescue skills. The program also had positive effects on classroom behavior, indicates the report. By bringing pools to the school playgrounds, the program enabled 742 children to participate. The temporary pools helped reduce travel time to local pools and maximized children’s familiarity with water safety.
The full 62-page report, created by Speedo and Active Black Country in collaboration with MHP Group, can be reviewed online. Speedo is part of Pentland Brands.
