Free Swimming For Over 60's

millie

Oblivion wrote: »

The rules of the scheme are very specific Millie. No matter where you live, you are entitled to swim for free, if you meet the age qaulification, in any pool owned by any participating council during normal public access hours.

If they try to tell you differently, refer them to the DCMS website ...

http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/sport/5960.aspx

Dave.

Thats great I phoned a Birmingham pool today and they did not know the answer so I will print the relevant page out and take with me if I am visiting a different area.

Oblivion

millie wrote: »

Thats great I phoned a Birmingham pool today and they did not know the answer so I will print the relevant page out and take with me if I am visiting a different area.

That's a good idea Millie. There will inevitably be council employees at leisure centres who have simply not been trained or brought up to date with these new rules. I think for some time, we can expect widely differing responses wherever we go, until the learning curve is established.

So, going armed with the relevant government 'bible' on these matters is advisable.

As someone whose council has opted out, I emailed a neighbouring council who is participating in the scheme and got a very welcoming response from their Leisure Director confirming that under the regulations, they cannot turn anyone away, and that I was more than welcome to enjoy free swimming at their pools.

This puts my own council's (Epsom & Ewell) opt out to even more shame.

Dave.

tanith

I know its not relevant to most people but I am wondering how its going to work for the under 16's who are supposed to be free also, I take my grandchildren swimming. Children have to pre-register as a member of a particular pool. Do you think that will mean they can only swim free at the pool they are registered with? I took a look at the registration form online and they want lots of info including address..
Thats going to be a nuisance as my grandchildren live in different boroughs so I guess some will go free and others won't..

Gers

You shouldn't need to pre-register, just register on the first visit. Councils are not required to issue cards but allowed to. Most want to collect data about usage in order to monitor and evaluate the project. Some authorities are raising revenue by asking for payment for the card, some aren't so it's a 'suck it and see' situation. Of course pre-registration wouldn't work as some people will be visiting the area, tourists or just on a weekend break to see family etc.

http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vcontent/page/custom/0,8510,5157-191582-208805-45629-288908-custom-item,00.html

Swimming is a great way to exercise and I just love it - though I don't qualify for either of the 2 pots.

tanith

In my borough its says children should pre-register not sure why.. oh well suck it and see I guess.

Jennifer_Jane

At my pool, as an over-60 I had to register (and wear a paper wrist band!), and so did people for the under-16's. Editing to say, that our pool has an annual card which gives discounts, so I think the pre-registration is just to put on the computer system how many people are getting it free. Because I'm using the same card I had before, but obviously it now registers that I'm free, rather than whatever season ticket I previously had. (Am unsure why the paper wrist band was required, and the leisure centre people didn't seem to know either).

There is a restriction that, at certain times, the free swimmers may only be allowed an hour - but actually I can only manage to swim for an hour at a time anyway. We can also go daily and the times are very good. I am grateful to the Govt for this at least. It's a real benefit to me (when food, heating, council tax are rising so far ahead of inflation).

I think it's a very great shame that some pools are not taking this up. After all the lifeguards have to be there, and sometimes the pool is not very busy.

Jen
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