Latest news with #TomDean
The Herald Scotland
11 hours ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Britain facing swimming crisis as nine million admit they can't swim
While swimming and water safety are now a mandatory part of the national curriculum, one in five Brits were not offered swimming lessons in school and 17% didn't have a pool in their local area growing up. Data commissioned by easyJet Holidays also shows over 100 publicly accessible pools have closed across the nation over the last 20 years, with the average pool 4.3 miles from Brits' homes. Some (5%) say their local pool is now more than 10 miles away. Despite this, 35% of non-swimmers would take up the opportunity to learn as an adult, with many reporting feelings of vulnerability (23%), embarrassment (22%) and self-consciousness (19%) about their inability to swim. To help encourage adults across the country gain this vital skill, easyJet Holidays has partnered with Olympic swimmer Tom Dean to launch a Swim School and offer free swimming lessons to 1,000 British adults ahead of the summer holidays alongside national swim provider Better and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). Tom Dean, a prominent water safety advocate who has addressed Parliament on the matter, and the RLSS UK share essential water safety tips for those learning to swim. These include pausing before taking the plunge, swimming with a buddy who can assist if needed, staying where your feet can touch the bottom of the pool and if in doubt, float it out. (Image: Will Ireland/PinPep) Top 10 barriers to learning how to swim as children: It wasn't seen as important (27%) The school didn't offer a learn to swim programme (24%) Parents couldn't swim, so they didn't teach me (24%) Parents didn't have time to take me to lessons (22%) Bad experience at an early age (21%) No pool nearby (17%) It was viewed as too dangerous (12%) Didn't have time during school (11%) Learning to swim isn't part of my culture or religion (7%) It was too expensive (7%) Almost a third (31%) of parents worry about their children swimming on holiday because they don't know how to swim themselves, and 32% say they fear they won't be able to help if something happens to their child in the pool. The research also uncovered that 17% of Brits are scared to get in the pool while on holiday – with over one in 10 (11%) avoiding a beach holiday completely because they don't know how to swim. Additionally, 25% with a lack of swimming ability report it affecting the enjoyment of their holiday, with 18% wishing they could join their children or grandchildren in the pool. The skills gap could widen in the future as 14% of parents admitting they haven't enrolled their children in swimming lessons or aren't planning to teach them themselves, with 20% saying they don't have the time, 15% citing high costs and 13% believing it is too risky or dangerous. Tom Dean said: 'As an Olympic swimmer, I know the importance of learning water safety skills and am passionate about ensuring everyone across Britain has access to learn swimming competencies. 'Whether it's staying with a buddy, or knowing your limits and sticking to areas where you can stand, it's never too late to learn how to swim – and thanks to easyJet Holidays Swim School, more people will have access.' For more information on Swim School and how to book, please visit Visit to book your 2025/2026 package holiday at the best value. Matt Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet Holidays said: 'We know how much Brits love their summer beach holidays to Europe's favourite destinations. That's why it's so important to us to highlight the surprisingly high number of adults who can't swim – something we're determined to help change. By improving safety and helping more people fully enjoy the water, we're also offering a life skill that lasts far beyond the holiday itself. 'We're thrilled to partner with Olympic athlete Tom Dean and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to offer 1,000 British adults the opportunity to learn to swim. Together, we're taking a meaningful step towards closing the gap and giving more people the confidence and freedom to enjoy the water – on holiday and at home.' The new 'Swim School' offer is now available via the easyJet Holidays website, offering six free lessons to 1,000 British adults, available to redeem via your nearest Better Leisure Centre – with 250 spots being released each week for four weeks, from Monday 30 June.
North Wales Live
13 hours ago
- General
- North Wales Live
Britain facing swimming crisis as nine million admit they don't know how to swim
Britain is facing a swimming crisis with nine million British adults admitting they don't know how to swim. New research has uncovered that half (50%) of those who didn't learn as a child wanted to, while 42% admit to only staying in the shallow end and 33% now don't feel confident in the water at all. While swimming and water safety are now a mandatory part of the national curriculum, one in five Brits were not offered swimming lessons in school and 17% didn't have a pool in their local area growing up. Data commissioned by easyJet Holidays also shows over 100 publicly accessible pools have closed across the nation over the last 20 years, with the average pool 4.3 miles from Brits' homes. Some (5%) say their local pool is now more than 10 miles away. Video Loading Despite this, 35% of non-swimmers would take up the opportunity to learn as an adult, with many reporting feelings of vulnerability (23%), embarrassment (22%) and self-consciousness (19%) about their inability to swim. To help encourage adults across the country gain this vital skill, easyJet Holidays has partnered with Olympic swimmer Tom Dean to launch a Swim School and offer free swimming lessons to 1,000 British adults ahead of the summer holidays alongside national swim provider Better and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). Tom Dean, a prominent water safety advocate who has addressed Parliament on the matter, and the RLSS UK share essential water safety tips for those learning to swim. These include pausing before taking the plunge, swimming with a buddy who can assist if needed, staying where your feet can touch the bottom of the pool and if in doubt, float it out. Top 10 barriers to learning how to swim as children: It wasn't seen as important (27%) The school didn't offer a learn to swim programme (24%) Parents couldn't swim, so they didn't teach me (24%) Parents didn't have time to take me to lessons (22%) Bad experience at an early age (21%) No pool nearby (17%) It was viewed as too dangerous (12%) Didn't have time during school (11%) Learning to swim isn't part of my culture or religion (7%) It was too expensive (7%) Almost a third (31%) of parents worry about their children swimming on holiday because they don't know how to swim themselves, and 32% say they fear they won't be able to help if something happens to their child in the pool. The research also uncovered that 17% of Brits are scared to get in the pool while on holiday – with over one in 10 (11%) avoiding a beach holiday completely because they don't know how to swim. Additionally, 25% with a lack of swimming ability report it affecting the enjoyment of their holiday, with 18% wishing they could join their children or grandchildren in the pool. The skills gap could widen in the future as 14% of parents admitting they haven't enrolled their children in swimming lessons or aren't planning to teach them themselves, with 20% saying they don't have the time, 15% citing high costs and 13% believing it is too risky or dangerous. Tom Dean said: 'As an Olympic swimmer, I know the importance of learning water safety skills and am passionate about ensuring everyone across Britain has access to learn swimming competencies. 'Whether it's staying with a buddy, or knowing your limits and sticking to areas where you can stand, it's never too late to learn how to swim – and thanks to easyJet Holidays Swim School, more people will have access.' Matt Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet Holidays, said: 'We know how much Brits love their summer beach holidays to Europe's favourite destinations. That's why it's so important to us to highlight the surprisingly high number of adults who can't swim – something we're determined to help change. By improving safety and helping more people fully enjoy the water, we're also offering a life skill that lasts far beyond the holiday itself. 'We're thrilled to partner with Olympic athlete Tom Dean and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to offer 1,000 British adults the opportunity to learn to swim. Together, we're taking a meaningful step towards closing the gap and giving more people the confidence and freedom to enjoy the water – on holiday and at home.' The new 'Swim School' offer is now available via the easyJet Holidays website, offering six free lessons to 1,000 British adults, available to redeem via your nearest Better Leisure Centre – with 250 spots being released each week for four weeks, from Monday 30 June.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Shocking amount of adults in UK can't swim - and it impacting their kids
One in five adults have no swimming ability whatsoever while a third don't feel confident in the water, according to new research. Shocking research has revealed that nearly nine million Brits can't swim. The study found that almost one in five adults have no swimming skills at all, a third lack confidence in the water, and some will only dare to venture into the shallow end. Despite swimming and water safety being part of the national curriculum, one in five adults said they weren't offered lessons at school. On top of this, a quarter of adults didn't receive any instruction from their parents because they couldn't swim either. The research was commissioned by easyJet holidays to kick off Swim School – an initiative offering free swimming lessons to 1,000 adults across the UK before the summer holidays. The programme has been developed in collaboration with Triple Olympic Champion Tom Dean, national swim provider Better, and the Royal Life Saving Society UK. Tom Dean, who has spoken to Parliament about water safety, said: "As an Olympic swimmer, I know the importance of learning water safety skills and am passionate about ensuring everyone across Britain has access to basic swimming competencies. "Whether it's staying with a buddy, knowing your limits, or sticking to areas where you can stand, it's never too late to learn how to swim." Over 100 public pools have shut down across the UK in the past two decades – with the average pool now 4.3 miles from people's homes. For some, the nearest swimming pool is over 10 miles away. Alarmingly, this gap could widen in the future, with 14 percent of parents confessing they haven't signed their children up for swimming lessons. A fifth claim they don't have the time to take their kids or point to high costs as a significant obstacle. However, many parents don't plan to teach their children how to swim, with some unable to do so because they can't swim themselves, with some under the impression that swimming is too dangerous. Nearly one in five are too frightened to enter the pool at all, while some have completely avoided beach holidays due to this fear. This often leaves parents feeling anxious about their children swimming while on holiday, as they worry they wouldn't be able to help if something went wrong. Safety isn't the only concern though, a quarter of parents say their lack of swimming ability affects how much they enjoy their holidays, as many wish they could join their children or grandchildren in the pool but feel unable to do so. However, over a third of non-swimmers would seize the opportunity to take adult swimming lessons, acknowledging that their lack of skill leaves them feeling vulnerable. Matt Callaghan, chief operating officer at easyJet Holidays, commented: "We know how much Brits love their summer beach holidays to Europe's favourite destinations. "That's why it's so important to us to highlight the surprisingly high number of adults who can't swim – something we're determined to help change. "By improving safety and helping more people fully enjoy the water, we're also offering a life skill that lasts far beyond the holiday itself. We're thrilled to partner with Olympic athlete Tom Dean and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to offer 1,000 British adults the opportunity to learn to swim. "Together, we're taking a meaningful step towards closing the gap and giving more people the confidence and freedom to enjoy the water – on holiday and at home."
Wales Online
14 hours ago
- General
- Wales Online
Britain facing swimming crisis as nine million admit they don't know how to swim
Britain facing swimming crisis as nine million admit they don't know how to swim New research has uncovered that half (50%) of those who didn't learn as a child wanted to, while 42% admit to only staying in the shallow end and 33% now don't feel confident in the water at all easyJet Holidays has partnered with Olympic swimmer Tom Dean to launch a Swim School and offer free swimming lessons to 1,000 British adults Britain is facing a swimming crisis with nine million British adults admitting they don't know how to swim. New research has uncovered that half (50%) of those who didn't learn as a child wanted to, while 42% admit to only staying in the shallow end and 33% now don't feel confident in the water at all. While swimming and water safety are now a mandatory part of the national curriculum, one in five Brits were not offered swimming lessons in school and 17% didn't have a pool in their local area growing up. Data commissioned by easyJet Holidays also shows over 100 publicly accessible pools have closed across the nation over the last 20 years, with the average pool 4.3 miles from Brits' homes. Some (5%) say their local pool is now more than 10 miles away. Tom Dean partners with easyJet holidays to launch Swim School Despite this, 35% of non-swimmers would take up the opportunity to learn as an adult, with many reporting feelings of vulnerability (23%), embarrassment (22%) and self-consciousness (19%) about their inability to swim. Article continues below To help encourage adults across the country gain this vital skill, easyJet Holidays has partnered with Olympic swimmer Tom Dean to launch a Swim School and offer free swimming lessons to 1,000 British adults ahead of the summer holidays alongside national swim provider Better and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). Tom Dean, a prominent water safety advocate who has addressed Parliament on the matter, and the RLSS UK share essential water safety tips for those learning to swim. These include pausing before taking the plunge, swimming with a buddy who can assist if needed, staying where your feet can touch the bottom of the pool and if in doubt, float it out. Top 10 barriers to learning how to swim as children: It wasn't seen as important (27%) The school didn't offer a learn to swim programme (24%) Parents couldn't swim, so they didn't teach me (24%) Parents didn't have time to take me to lessons (22%) Bad experience at an early age (21%) No pool nearby (17%) It was viewed as too dangerous (12%) Didn't have time during school (11%) Learning to swim isn't part of my culture or religion (7%) It was too expensive (7%) Almost a third (31%) of parents worry about their children swimming on holiday because they don't know how to swim themselves, and 32% say they fear they won't be able to help if something happens to their child in the pool. The research also uncovered that 17% of Brits are scared to get in the pool while on holiday – with over one in 10 (11%) avoiding a beach holiday completely because they don't know how to swim. One in five Brits were not offered swimming lessons in school and 17% didn't have a pool in their local area growing up. Additionally, 25% with a lack of swimming ability report it affecting the enjoyment of their holiday, with 18% wishing they could join their children or grandchildren in the pool. The skills gap could widen in the future as 14% of parents admitting they haven't enrolled their children in swimming lessons or aren't planning to teach them themselves, with 20% saying they don't have the time, 15% citing high costs and 13% believing it is too risky or dangerous. Tom Dean said: 'As an Olympic swimmer, I know the importance of learning water safety skills and am passionate about ensuring everyone across Britain has access to learn swimming competencies. 'Whether it's staying with a buddy, or knowing your limits and sticking to areas where you can stand, it's never too late to learn how to swim – and thanks to easyJet Holidays Swim School, more people will have access.' Matt Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet Holidays, said: 'We know how much Brits love their summer beach holidays to Europe's favourite destinations. That's why it's so important to us to highlight the surprisingly high number of adults who can't swim – something we're determined to help change. By improving safety and helping more people fully enjoy the water, we're also offering a life skill that lasts far beyond the holiday itself. Article continues below 'We're thrilled to partner with Olympic athlete Tom Dean and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to offer 1,000 British adults the opportunity to learn to swim. Together, we're taking a meaningful step towards closing the gap and giving more people the confidence and freedom to enjoy the water – on holiday and at home.' The new 'Swim School' offer is now available via the easyJet Holidays website, offering six free lessons to 1,000 British adults, available to redeem via your nearest Better Leisure Centre – with 250 spots being released each week for four weeks, from Monday 30 June. For more information on Swim School and how to book, please visit Visit to book your 2025/2026 package holiday at the best value.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nearly nine million British adults are still unable to swim, research reveals
Nearly nine million British adults are still unable to swim, research reveals. A study of 2,000 adults found 17 per cent have no swimming ability whatsoever, 33 per cent don't feel confident in the water, and 42 per cent will only brave the shallow end. The research was commissioned by easyJet holidays to launch Swim School[ – an initiative offering free swimming lessons to 1,000 adults across the UK ahead of the summer holidays. The programme has been developed in partnership with Triple Olympic Champion Tom Dean, national swim provider Better, and the Royal Life Saving Society UK. Tom Dean, who has spoken to Parliament about water safety, said: 'As an Olympic swimmer, I know the importance of learning water safety skills and am passionate about ensuring everyone across Britain has access to basic swimming competencies. Matt Callaghan, chief operating officer at easyJet Holidays, said: 'We know how much Brits love their summer beach holidays to Europe's favourite destinations. 'We're thrilled to partner with Olympic athlete Tom Dean and the Royal Life Saving Society UK to offer 1,000 British adults the opportunity to learn to swim."
