Free sessions give people a chance to enjoy a dip in the pool
People across a Staffordshire district were invited to take to the water and enjoy a free swimming session in support of a national initiative.
The swimming pool at Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock was made free for all to use between 11.30am and 3.30pm on Friday, February 24, with the pool at Rugeley Leisure Centre doing the same between 9.10am and 3.30pm.
The free sessions were provided as part of Big Swim Day, a community scheme to promote the social value of swimming and to get more people into pools by opening up facilities across the country to the public.
Dozens of people came to both centres to take a dip at the two pools, which are owned and operated by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles in partnership with Cannock Chase District Council.
Leisure and cultural services lead Paul Atkins said the response to the day had been very good and said he hope it led to more people taking part in swimming sessions in the future.
He said: "I think today has been a wonderful opportunity to highlight both the social value of swimming and the roles of leisure centres in providing health benefits and helping people to get active."
Cannock Chase District Council Leader Councillor Olivia Lyons was full of praise for the initiative and said it was important for people to have a place to swim.
She said: "I think this has been a brilliant opportunity to open up facilities to let people see how lucky we are with the provision of services we have here and to raise awareness of swimming.
"We are highlighting the importance of health and wellbeing as a council and it's really important that children are exposed to swimming early on and people have places to go and take a swim."
