Swimming Alliance meets Shadow Minister Louie French MP to champion access to pools and water safety

The Swimming Alliance recently met with Shadow Minister Louie French MP to champion access to swimming pools and water safety.

The alliance’s Chair, Andy Salmon, and Vice Chair, Andrew Clark, spoke this week with Louie French MP, the Shadow Minister responsible for sport, to update the MP on the priorities of the alliance and to discuss the urgent issues facing swimming – including access to pools, school swimming and water safety attainment across the country.

As the MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup and a Shadow Minister in the Culture, Media and Sport team, Louie French plays a significant role in shaping opposition policy on grassroots sport, physical activity and access to essential community facilities.

Championing access to pools

The Swimming Alliance emphasised the growing pressures facing public pools – rising operating costs, ageing infrastructure and the risk of closures, often in areas already hit by health inequalities.

The conversation focused on how cross-party support can help protect and modernise the nation’s pool stock, so communities retain access to safe, affordable water spaces.

Strengthening school swimming and water safety outcomes

Despite swimming being a statutory part of the national curriculum, too many children leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres or perform basic water safety skills.

The Swimming Alliance shared concerns about current attainment gaps, as well as highlighting the work of the alliance’s School Swimming Taskforce.

Louie French said: “It was great to meet with representatives of the Swimming Alliance and it’s really positive to see the sector coming together to speak with one voice on some of these critical issues.

“I know from my own constituency just how important swimming pools are and how loved they are by people of all ages who rely on them for their health and wellbeing, to learn a vital life skill or to compete in the sports they love.”

The meeting enabled the Swimming Alliance to set out the essential role of swimming in health, physical literacy, community cohesion and drowning prevention.

It also provided the opportunity to highlight the importance of workforce development and the role of leisure operators in supporting wider public health goals.

The alliance looks forward to continuing dialogue with parliamentarians from all parties to ensure swimming and water safety remain national priorities.