CONSTITUENCY AM WELCOMES FREE SWIMMING AT WEEKENDS

Children and young people will now be able to enjoy free swimming and other leisure centre activities at the weekends.

Gwenda Thomas AM for the Neath Constituency welcomed changes announced by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government to extend the scheme and said it encouraged tens of thousands of young people in Wales to take regular exercise free of charge.

A change to the minimum criteria of the current scheme, means that local authorities will now offer free swimming sessions or other leisure centre activities for children aged 16 and under on weekends as well as school holidays.

Mrs Thomas said: “Free swimming has been an extremely popular policy since it was introduced in 2004 by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government.

“These changes will make the scheme even more widely available so that all young people can benefit all year round regardless of family income.”

“Free swimming at our excellent pool facilities in Neath, Glynneath and Pontardawe, allows youngsters to learn an important skill, enjoy themselves and keep fit at no extra cost, clearly a lifestyle to be encouraged at an early age.”