145-year-old Penrith Swimming Club facing uncertainty over Greenwich Leisure (BETTER) / Westmorland and Furness proposal to stop its Learn to Swim provision
Following reports on Penrith Town News on 11th August outlining Greenwich Leisure’s decision (supported by Westmorland and Furness (W&F) Council) to stop Penrith Swimming Club teaching youngsters to swim through to ASA Level 7.
The Club has now seen a copy of the briefing provided to W&F members and a statement provided by W&F Officer to the press, confirming significant misinformation.
For clarity W&F have not made any contact with the club, the club was unaware that it was being monitored and was provided with an Email from GLL on the 1st August notifying the Club that swimming teaching would not be allowed to restart in September. This date has subsequently been pushed back to 1 Jan 27 to allow the Club to respond.
Penrith Swimming Club, one of England’s oldest swimming clubs, would like to take this opportunity to respond to this report regarding the future of its Learn to Swim provision at Penrith Leisure Centre and correct a number of claims about the club’s use of the council-owned facility.
Founded in 1881, Penrith Swimming Club has served the local community for 145 years. Originally swimming in the River Eamont at Frenchfield, by 1931 the club had grown to nearly 1,500 members.
Thousands of local people have trained and competed with the club, with athletes progressing to regional, national and international level. This includes Chloe Wilcox, who began her competitive journey with Penrith Swimming Club before going on to captain Great Britain’s women’s water polo team at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The club’s relationship with Penrith Leisure Centre also extends far beyond simply hiring pool space.
Upon opening of the Penrith Swimming Pool in 1971 the Club moved from its site on the River Eamont at Brougham and since then has taught youngsters to swim, co-existing with the “Council Swimming programme” which is the equivalent of the current GLL provision.
As teaching youngsters to swim in the main pool, the Penrith Swimming Club In the 1990s, drove the campaign to create the Frenchfield Teaching Pool, with club members raising tens of thousands of pounds towards its construction. Without the club’s fundraising and determination, the teaching pool would not exist today.
The club has continued to invest in the facility, including purchasing wave-breaker lane ropes and new diving blocks, and currently spends approximately £40,000 each year on pool hire.
Penrith Swimming Club was only made aware last week of the intention to prevent the Club Teaching Swimming Via E-mail from GLL it is disappointed that a public statement has subsequently been issued containing a number of assertions which do not accurately represent the arrangements under which the club has been operating.
The club firmly rejects any suggestion that its use of the learner pool has taken place without the knowledge of GLL, the use of the pool for teaching / coaching swimming has taken place since the pool was built, the teaching pool being an integral part of the exclusive hire of the facility, within this hire charge there is also two lifeguards included.
The club has regular booking correspondence with GLL, receives invoices directly from GLL and the learner pool has formed part of its pool hire arrangement, it is astounding that GLL are unaware of the use.
There is an important distinction between a long-standing arrangement which may now need to be formally documented and an activity taking place without the knowledge of the leisure centre operator.
The club is also concerned by references to safeguarding, qualifications and governance. Penrith Swimming Club has throughout its existence adhered to the standards of the Amateur Swimming Association indeed it has maintained the highest level of Swim England club accreditation for 10 consecutive years, completing an extensive annual process which includes safeguarding and governance.
An introduction to competitive swimming
The club also believes describing its provision as a conventional Learn to Swim programme fundamentally misunderstands its purpose.
Penrith Swimming Club is a competitive swimming club. The sessions provide children with an introduction to swimming, the intention being that they progress through to competitive swimming, developing stroke technique and the key skills required to progress further within the sport. The GLL programme simply teaches youngsters to swim – the club offers a different opportunity / provision to that of GLL.
The club programme is therefore distinct from conventional Learn to Swim lessons and should not simply be regarded as duplication of GLL’s programme.
From an emergency meeting with GLL on Friday 7th Aug it was confirmed by the Partnership Manager that the main motivator for cessation of the Club swimming programme was simply financial, the assumption being that if the Club is prevented from teaching swimming, then the youngsters will transfer to the GLL programme.
A Penrith Swimming Club spokesperson said:
“Let us be very clear. We are extremely proud of the legacy Penrith Swimming Club has built in this community.
“For 145 years, generations of volunteers have given their time to provide opportunities for local people to swim and compete. Our swimmers have progressed to regional, national, international and Olympic level.
“The teaching pool itself exists because Penrith Swimming Club drove the campaign to make it happen. Our members raised tens of thousands of pounds towards its construction and we continue to invest around £40,000 every year hiring facilities at Penrith Leisure Centre.
“We are run entirely by volunteers who are passionate about the future of aquatics in our local community.
“We are ready to work constructively with GLL and Westmorland and Furness Council to formalise arrangements where necessary. However, we cannot accept the ultimatum to stop us teaching swimming and the suggestion that our provision has simply been taking place without the knowledge of the leisure centre operator.
“In five years we will be preparing to celebrate 150 years of Penrith Swimming Club. Our focus is not simply on protecting our history. It is about making sure this community club is here for generatio
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