Mary Welcomes Wakefield's Free Swimming Success

MP for Wakefield Mary Creagh is today celebrating over 60,000 free swims in Wakefield.  The popular scheme was started in April this year and has exceeded expectations with Wakefield Council offering free swimming for people over 60, and for those aged 16 and under. Since April Wakefield Council has seen 12,220 free swims for over 60s and 49,000 swims for kids under 16. 

The £140 million Government initiative was announced last June, delivering on a Labour Government promise to help get two million people more active by the time London hosts the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.

Mary Creagh MP said: "It is great that since the national launch of Free Swimming, we have seen so many people using it in Wakefield. I am proud to see that Wakefield's Labour Council have backed the scheme to offer free swimming to everyone who is either over 60 or under 16.

"It provides a fun and accessible means of keeping fit and active for people of all ages.  I am glad to see such a high take up and I would encourage anyone who hasn't yet taken up the offer of free swimming to get down to their local pool!"

Labour's Sports Secretary Ben Bradshaw MP said: "Swimming is a wonderful way to stay healthy and can involve all the family so I am really pleased so many people in Wakefield have taken advantage of it. The benefits of offering a fun, healthy leisure activity for free far outweigh any cost especially in these tough economic times.  We all know how important exercise is to people, and it's essential that we all try and encourage people to take part in physical activity. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise because it's something people of all ages can do."