Pontypridd Swimming Club

We're excited to be returning to swimming next week. We'll also be running some assessment sessions for potential new members in June (as part of our PROMO project funded by the Sport Wales 'Be Active' fund). Please let us know if you may be interested in joining the club. Spaces are currently limited as part of Covid constraints, but we'll do what we can in support of 'Aquatics for All'. #letsgopontyletsgo

If you would like to know more about skills development from Swim Wales, please see here: https://www.swimwales.org/pages/skills-development

#SaveSwimming https://www.swimwales.org//update-on-gatherings-indoors-fo

Petition - https://t.co/K6bKhXuOCZ Below is the body of the letter sent to the First Minister and endorsed by over 80 swimming clubs (including Pontypridd Swimming Club). Please sign the petition, and help us get our swimmers back in the water as soon as possible. **... Dear First Minister The announcement by Welsh Government overnight to the press, and reinforced at today’s press conference, regarding the easing of restrictions and roadmap out of lockdown has been both disappointing and concerning in equal measures. As you will already know from our previous correspondence with you and your officials, our member clubs and participation account for 500,000 Welsh Adults and Children who swim or are involved in aquatic activity once a week in Wales, that is 16% of the Welsh population. Every one of us has waited patiently for our government to produce a roadmap out of lockdown which would highlight the importance of sport and the benefits it presents to physical and mental health. Whilst a timetable for the reopening of sport and leisure, and in particular swimming pools, across Wales is what we have asked for, the announced date of May 17th is much later than we, as a collective, had hoped for. Over the last 12 months our sector has consistently proved our ability to adapt and respond to the pandemic and put in place the measures and mitigations required to operate safely across our clubs and facilities and this has not been reflected in the news today. In the 10 weeks of pool opening between September and December there were less than 10 cases in 500,000 swims recorded by the ONS and T&T systems. In addition to this your own Technical Advisory Group have agreed with the science presented to them by Swim Wales surrounding the neutralising effect of chlorinated water, this has been completely ignored by you and your administration. The delay in the opening of indoor facilities completely contradicts your previous position ‘facilities such as...gyms and leisure centre also did not appear to increase risk of infection’ and leaves us wondering how these decisions were made. To say we are puzzled and confused by your approach is an understatement. The decision made by the Welsh Government is irrational and lacks logic, and on behalf of the tens of thousands of people we represent we would urge you to reconsider the timetable. This letter has been co-signed by 83 Chairs of our member clubs who on behalf of their thousands of members all advocate the points made in this letter. I look forward to a response and we will be working with the Welsh Sport Association on next steps as a sector. Fergus Feeney CEO of Swim Wales

April 23rd 2021 Dear valued member of the Welsh aquatic family, I am delighted to say that after several weeks (and months) of ongoing discussions, a national petition, front line media interviews and multiple letters to the First Minister of Wales, REVISED DATES for our return to INDOOR INDIVIDUAL AND INDOOR GROUP activity have been announced by Welsh Government. As of May 3rd BOTH INDOOR INDIVIDUAL AND INDOOR GROUP aquatic activity can re-start in Welsh swimming pools and l...eisure centres. The Swim Wales team are awaiting the published detailed guidance from Welsh Government which will influence any updates on our return to water guidance. Welsh Government have confirmed that there will be no limits on group sizes for U18’s (E.G. Aquatic Clubs sessions, Learn to Swim Lessons and Private Swim Lessons) but all participants should still respect physical distancing where possible. Adult group sessions will be restricted to 15 people (E.G. Aqua Fit or Aqua Aerobics) and we understand that as we move to alert level 2 on May 17th, this will increase to 30 people. All safe distancing measures will still need to be observed in accordance with your facility operator and/or own working protocols regarding COVID 19. We must continue to protect each other and stay safe. I’m sure you will join us in celebrating what is a massive step forward for our activities and sport in Wales. This lockdown has been incredibly long for many people, now at last, we can focus on what we love doing and #GetintoWater. Yours sincerely, Fergus Feeney Chief Executive, Swim Wales

Latest skills development from Swim Wales: https://www.swimwales.org/pages/skills-development

SAVE THE DATES! We will be running some swimmer recruitment and assessment sessions at Abercynon Leisure Centre on June 11th, 18th and 25th. The exact timings will be confirmed with those attending so that we can run through the specific Covid-19 protocols, however this will most likely be between 5.15pm and 6pm. More details to follow. If you would like to express your interest, please IM us or send an email to [email protected], we will then send you the leaflet that... accompanies these sessions. #GetIntoWater