Free swimming lessons for some Jersey children

Free swimming lessons are being offered to children in Jersey who may not have had the opportunity to have them otherwise.

The Bosdet Foundation, in partnership with AquaSplash, said the scheme was aimed at children whose families may not have access to lessons due to financial constraints, limited access to facilities and time restrictions.

The foundation, which has supported more than 50 children so far, said places on the programme were allocated through local primary schools and other agencies.

Alan Le Pavoux, charity manager for the Bosdet Foundation, said its expanded programme would now help more children learn the life skill.

He said: "Bosdet has always supported children to learn to swim and understand water safety, from Bosdet's Swim Safe course aimed at all Year 5 pupils, to having provided free swimming to children when it ran a swim school at Les Ormes.

"With this new programme, we have been able to increase the opportunity for more children to engage."

Children in Year 3 who have not reached level one of the national plan for swimming have also be given the opportunity to improve their skills with the new programme.

Steve Dunford, contract manager at AquaSplash, added: "We're delighted to support the Bosdet Foundation as it expands a scheme that has already supported over 40 local children towards swimming proficiency and water confidence."