Assignment 2 - Article 2

Preston’s swimming success

If swimming’s your thing then Preston’s your place, as the activity now thrives in the region.


‘Get people off the streets’

The city council recently received a £211,000 government grant to allow children and pensioners to swim for free.

The scheme will begin in April 2009 in a bid to improve health and fitness in the area.

Since receiving this grant the council are working closely with Preston Swimming Club, one of the largest swimming clubs in the country with over 750 members, to help get more people into our pools.

Phil Walsh, Preston City Council’s head of Leisure, Sports and Arts said: “Essentially this money is for widening participation in swimming.

“There are high numbers of children not swimming by age 11 and ethnic minorities who can’t swim. Sports development really does get people off the streets and away from crime.”


Olympic hopes

Members of Preston Swimming Club are advocates for this, with young members looking towards competing in the 2012 London Olympics.

The swimming talent for London 2012 has been recognised by the Lancashire Sports Partnership, and talks are ensuing on building a 50 metre pool in Preston, as currently our local Olympic hopefuls have to travel to Manchester to do their training.

Lord Sebastian Coe, ex-Olympian and head of the London 2012 committee, has publicly backed the pool bid.

Peter Mason, chairman of Preston Swimming club, said: “Our biggest problem is that capacity for swimming is low, we only have Fulwood and West View pools that are 25 metres, we would benefit greatly from at 50 metre one. We have about half a dozen Olympic hopefuls in the club.”


Passionate locals

These developments follow this year’s protests by Fylde locals trying to save Kirkham Baths from proposed closure, illustrating how important swimming is to people in the area.

So whether it’s Olympic success you’re after, getting fit or keeping busy, it seems Preston is the place to swim. Below is a map of swimming pools in the area.



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Assignment 2 - Article 1

Preston cheapest place to exercise in Lancashire

Leisure centres in Preston have some of the cheapest deals in the county.

Fulwood and West View leisure centres, funded by the council, offer a number of low-cost membership deals in an attempt to make Preston a healthy population.


Student membership

Their newest offer aims to get students active; with a membership fee of £15 a year much better value than the £80 a year University of Central Lancashire gym membership.

For this fee, valid student ID holders get free access to swimming, climbing walls and fitness rooms between 7.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. For more information click here.

The membership had 200 applicants in the first month.

Shirley Brookes, Customer Services Manager at Fulwood Leisure Centre said: “It’s been a really good response considering it’s not been greatly advertised; I’m really pleased with it.

“I’d be surprised if anywhere else in Lancashire offers student membership better than £15, it’s a unique deal.”


Passport to Leisure membership

Another membership the leisure centres offer is the Passport to Leisure Card.

A benchmark study last year showed that the Passport to Leisure membership was the cheapest in the North West.

The card is available to people on low or no income, people with a disability, people over 60, fostered children and, most recently, for people from registered charities.

The cost of the membership is £3 per year, with the charge of a £1 per activity for the adults on a low or no income category.

Shirley said: “Passport to Leisure was put in place because we want the people of Preston to become healthy, and that’s our main aim; for Preston to have the most active population in the North West by 2010.”

“It’s extremely important for everyone to be able to afford leisure services, Preston has one of the top percentage of people who are unhealthy and who have got health related illnesses. And if we can help reduce that, it can only be a good thing for the economy and for the people of Preston.”