Everyone Active achieves Water Wellbeing accreditation across portfolio of pools

Leisure operator Everyone Active has achieved Swim England’s Water Wellbeing accreditation across its portfolio of swimming pools.

It follows a year-long commitment by Everyone Active to ensure all its leisure centres deliver on accessibility and inclusivity requirements and provide the highest standard of consistency and quality of support to customers.

The award-winning leisure operator has made enhancements to its pools across the country in a bid to increase swimming activities for all, including a focus on supporting people with long-term health conditions and improving the customer journey from the car park or bus stop to water facilities and back.

In addition, a variety of aquatic activities have been introduced across Everyone Active’s network of pools – including Good Boost and Adult Learn to Swim – with increasing numbers of people experiencing the benefits of being in the water for the first time.

As part of Everyone Active’s commitment to its workforce and members, all customer-facing staff receive ongoing training to ensure the very best experience for new and existing swimmers with long-term health conditions.

All ages and abilities

Jacqui Tillman, Everyone Active’s aquatics and wellbeing director, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the Water Wellbeing accreditation at all our swimming facilities.

“At Everyone Active, we are passionate about providing the best standard of swimming activities and ensuring they are inclusive to people of all ages and abilities.

“Our ongoing partnership with Swim England has enabled us to deliver on our health and wellbeing ambitions and take a forward-thinking approach to improve swimming provision across the country.

“In 2022, we welcomed more than 12 million swim customers to our centres and with the support of our dedicated colleagues and partners, we’re confident this will continue to grow in 2023.”

Ali Noyce, Swim England health and wellbeing manager, said: “We are delighted to support Everyone Active in its strategy to improve the quality of life for local residents in communities.

“Everyone Active’s commitment to the Water Wellbeing accreditation is ensuring that more and more people have the opportunity to become active in the water and improve their health and wellbeing for the future.

“Having completed the Swim England Environmental Assessment Tool at each pool, it’s been great to see how barriers have been removed at both strategic and local level.

“Our Water Wellbeing accreditation continues to go from strength to strength with new and existing partners as we move through 2023 and beyond.

“It is a pleasure to hear of the numerous stories where being in the water has changed people’s lives.”

Fantastic framework

The Water Wellbeing accreditation scheme is open to any pool and offers a range of resources, training and support to help staff better understand the customer experience, as well as personalise the aquatic offer to suit the needs of those with long-term health conditions.

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, who is a Royal College of General Practitioners lifestyle and physical activity clinical champion, said: “Making our swimming pools accessible is vital to help support our nation moving.

“Venues need to be inclusive and welcoming.

“Water Wellbeing accreditation gives a venue a fantastic framework to help them achieve this and goes such a long way to give health care professionals the confidence when signposting patients to a venue during their discussions with patients.”

For more information on Water Wellbeing or other aspects of Swim England’s health and wellbeing work, get in touch at [email protected].