RLSSWA's Trent Hotchkin with local girls Freya and Millie Hollingsworth and Churchlands MLA Sean L'Estrange at Bold Park Aquatic Centre

Local MLA encourages a return to swimming lessons

As swim schools and public pools across Western Australia re-open, Member for Churchlands and Royal Life Saving WA Swim and Survive Ambassador Sean L’Estrange is calling on local parents to rebook their children into swimming lessons.

Yesterday he visited the Bold Park Aquatic Centre where the swimming lesson program will return in Term Three, commencing on the 18th July. Mr L’Estrange says its vital for parents to get their children back into swimming as soon as possible. “For that three months of shutdown during COVID a lot of kids were losing their key skills to be safe around the water, in fact we had 50,000 children miss out on swimming lessons. So, it’s really important that we get kids safe for summer, safe around the water.

Royal Life Saving WA recognizes that as the July school holidays approach many families may be considering taking a holiday around our state now that internal borders are open. We’re urging parents and carers to remember to keep an especially close watch of children around water during the time away, even those who would normally be strong swimmers, as their swimming skills may not be up to scratch due to the lack of swimming lessons in recent months.

Mr L’Estrange says swimming is a vital skill and is urging parent to rebook their kids into lessons as soon as they can. “It’s a life skill and really important. Just one life lost to drowning is one life too many, it’s a tragedy that we don’t want to repeat so please look after the kids, make sure they’re safe around the water.”

Royal Life Saving is concerned that due to financial hardships suffered by many families during COVID swimming lessons may take a back seat, but we’re urging parents, when making the choice about which of their children’s activities to restart and which to put on the shelf, that a preference is given to swimming due to the fact that it is a vital life skill that could save their life. You can read Royal Life Saving Australia’s statement on this issue at the link below.

For those experiencing financial hardship our Royal Life Saving Swim and Survive fund may be able to assist. You can learn more about the fund at this link.