Weekly News 2/06/2008

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Free swimming for over 60’s initiative launched by the Government today
The new £140 million fund to boost sport and fitness through free swimming for over 60s was announced as the centrepiece of the ’Governments plan to ensure a lasting sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games'. More

The initiative was part of a package of measures in the Legacy Action Plan Before, During and After: Making the most of the London 2012 Games, which was unveiled today by Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson, Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and local MP Bridget Prentice, Parlimentary Under Secretary of state in the Ministery of Justice. This iniative was unveiled today at Downham Leisure Centre, hosted by Everyday Swim (Lewisham), in conjunction with DCMS. Among the activities there was a mini-polo and a Flip N Fun session as well as an aquafit for older users with star turn by Duncan Goodhew.

Colin Brown, Director for London Swimming, said: "I want to pay a particular tribute to Jo Melchior (Everyday Swim Co-ordinator Lewisham) and Kay Skelton (Leisure Connection, Lewisham) who pulled together this launch and managed 10 TV crews, two schools, an aquafit class and 5 Ministers it made swimming in London look fantastic".

London Swimming & ASA Aquaforce have a joined forces for the nominations for this years award. If you value the amount of effort that athletes, coaches, teachers, club officials put in then nominate them Entries close 1st July so please nominate now

London Youth Games Diving - A new date has been set.

London Championships - Statement
The Championships have been oversubscribed this year for further details

Record Breakers - Kings Cormorants 280+ Medley Relay team of Jane Asher, John Seabrook, Elizabeth Savidge and Geoff Bishop break the European Record by 2 seconds at the Eastbourne Meet on June 1st, as well as breaking their own British Freestyle Record. The London Masters Committee met on Saturday to discuss activities for London Masters. If you are keen to learn more about Masters in London contact Christine

Masters Reminder - Surrey Masters Championship Meet 28th June at Elmbridge Pool. Please note that sessions 1 & 2 will now be run as a single session with warm up at 12.30pm with a 1pm start.

Diving takes Centre stage in Merton!
Merton School of Diving and Trampolining are currently engaged in a programme that sees children from a local Secondary State School's Gifted and Talented programme try diving for free over a 5-week period. They are attending weekly Saturday sessions that last for 1 hr and have already covered every Flip n Fun skill to a high standard after just 3 sessions. They have 2 further diving sessions before then trying Water Polo for 5 weeks. This new initiative to introduce young members of the community is fully funded by Morden Park Pool, which is run by GLL. The children have access to the unique 10-week opportunity completely free of charge and MSDT are being given the pool sessions free too. Phil Colwell, Service Manager at Morden Park Pool has worked tremendously hard to set up this pilot programme which it is hoped can be repeated again in the future. All the coaches at Merton School of Diving and Trampolining would like to thank Phil for his continued hard work and commitment to increasing the profile of Diving within the borough of Merton. Already the club has had interest from well over half the participants with regards to joining the club. All participants were aged 11-13yrs and were a mixture of boys and girls. Sutton and Cheam Water Swimming Club will then deliver the Water Polo sessions with hopefully the same success as the diving.

Colin Brown (RD): Colin spent time shadowing Stephen Hammond MP as part of his parliamentary sports fellowship. Colin attended transport questions and a Conservative party team meeting as well looking at how an MPs office functions. Colin also had meetings with UEL and Barking & Dagenham PCT and delivered a training session to GLL centre leads. Colin finishes the week by attending the championships on Sunday in Ealing and being interviewed, as part of the Children of Olympic Bid which will be recorded at Gurnell.

Next week: Colin will be attending financial training in Loughborough, attending an Aquatics Centre Stakeholder meeting. Colin is also meeting with Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club and starting the quarterly staff reviews. Next week also sees Jemma Konuralp our new Quality Co-ordinator focused on Swim 21 take up position and the launch of the new Sport England strategy.

This week Mark Griggs (EO) is on annual leave.

For more information, to download booking forms, or funding opportunities for any IOS course or seminar

CPD Seminars
Thu 26 Jun 08   - NPTS: Fundamentals - Harrow
Mon 21 Jul 08   - Safeguarding & Protecting Children     - Havering

UKCC Courses
Level 1 Teaching Aquatics
Sat 21 Jun 08 - Dagenham Swimming Pool - Barking & Dagenham
Mon 07 Jul 08 - JAGS Sport Club - Southwark
Mon 21 Jul 08   - Whitgift School - Croydon


Level 2 Teaching Aquatics
Sat 02 Aug 08 - Sylvestrian Leisure Centre - Waltham Forest
Mon 11 Aug 08 - Hornchurch Sports Centre - Havering


This week Janna Callan (RDO) enjoyed volunteering on the multi regional synchro camp and feels her knowledge of the sport is up to date.  This week Janna has feedback to the following clubs on their progress for Swim21 accreditation: Edmonton Phoenix Swimming Club, Erith and District Swimming Club (swimming and synchro), Barnet Copthall Swimming Club (swimming, synchro and diving), Sea-Byrd Swimming Club, Kingston Ladies Synchronised Swimming Club and Seymour Synchro Swim School.  Janna hopes that Edmonton Phoenix Swimming Club, Erith and District Swimming Club and Barnet Copthall Swimming Club will accredit to Swim21 in August.  Janna also attended her first meeting in Barking and Dagenham where she looks forward to taking the project forward.
Next week, Janna will be spending two days in Barking and Dagenham aiming to meet key people involved in the project and develop and understanding of the tasks that lie ahead over the next three months

This week Jo Calvino (RDDO) has been completing reports for the ASA board, confirming National Skills event organisation & generally catching up on administrative tasks. On Thursday Jo attended a meeting regarding York Hall and the potential refurbishment of the Diving facility and on Friday ran a Flip N Fun session at Downham Leisure Centre as part of the launch. At the weekend Jo will be attending the London & East Regional Skills event.


This week has seen Jo Melchior (EDS - Lewisham) busy planning the DCMS event by using her contacts with local community groups and schools to provide all the participants for the fun in the pool. Jo would like to thank all the team at Downham, all the teaching staff and her colleagues from London Swimming who helped out at this event.

This week Nikola Jovanovic (West London Waterpolo coach) introduced mini-polo into the school swimming sessions at Brent. About 200 children articipated and seemed to enjoy themselves. This was also to raise awareness for the regular mini-polo sessions that are starting this Saturday at Vale Farm Sport Centre at 11.00am. This week also saw the start of the mini polo course in HighGrove, Hillingdon, with Nik assisting Survive and Save Club in the start of their mini-polo sessions.