Gloucestershire family support campaign to help parents rediscover family fun through swimming

Gloucestershire family support campaign to help parents rediscover family fun through swimming

Circadian Trust and Swim England are working with Gloucestershire family to encourage parents to make the most of the fleeting nature of childhood and reconnect families through swimming in the second wave of the #LoveSwimming campaign.

Time flies, especially when it comes to a growing family. Making the most of those precious moments together can become more difficult as youngsters grow older – but there is one activity that all the family can enjoy at any age. Swimming as a family is a journey that usually begins with lessons and learning a valuable lifesaving skill, but ends with hours of fun in the pool and spending time together. The impactful film features a mum with her two children and illustrates the importance of spending time as a family and creating memories before children fly the coop.

Mum, Lynette De Nobriga, who visits the centre with her children Zack and Tilly, echoes the sentiments of mums and dads around the country, saying: “To have that family time together is great. I feel healthier, more active and the quality time together as a family is what it’s all about – lots of fun, lots of laughter and lots of smiles. That’s what we’ve really loved.”

Mark Crutchley, Chief Executive of Circadian Trust, the not-for-profit organisation which manages and operates the Active Lifestyle Centres in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council said: “As an organisation, our ambition is to inspire active lifestyles and maximise participation at all ages and levels of health and wellbeing. The #LoveSwimming campaign has presented us with a great opportunity to get families back in the pool and teach children the ever-important life skill that is swimming. I’m sure that many families are already feeling the benefits of spending time together at the pool and I look forward to welcoming many more at our centres soon.”

Jane Nickerson, CEO of Swim England and Chair of the sector-leading Swim Group, said: “Swimming is one of the few activities that families can do together across generations and throughout their lives.

“So often, this family time in a pool is restricted to summer holidays. With the launch of the second wave of activity in our #LoveSwimming campaign we are tapping into deep emotional territory – sentiments that really resonate with parents. Time with your children – when they want to spent time with you rather than anyone else is fleeting. We want to encourage parents to make the most of those precious years being connected and having fun together through the joy and elation felt in a pool. We are reminding parents: don’t miss out on those treasurable years. Take them swimming, make the most of the passing moments and not only give them a life skill and get them active, but create memories that last a lifetime.”

As Colorado mum Casey Huff’s honest reflections on the conflicting feelings of motherhood went viral last week, the most recent instalment of the #LoveSwimming campaign is evidently tapping into a feeling shared by many mothers – one of longing their children could stay small forever while also looking forward to the times when they are old enough to sleep through the night and look after themselves, and the difficulties of cherishing childhood.

The heartfelt post quickly reached 20,000 likes, 9,000 shares and attracted 2,000 comments on Facebook.

Swim England and Circadian Trust are calling on families in South Gloucestershire to #LoveSwimming and dedicate a precious hour every week to getting down to their local pool and enjoying time together as a family. Customers can visit the Swim England pool finder tool at www.swimming.org/loveswimming and find out more information about their nearest pool along with tips and ideas to make the most of the swimming experience.

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