Attached is the latest Swim Wales Engagement Schedule July – September 2020 for all clubs in Wales.
In this forum, Swim Wales give out the latest information available for swimming and aquatic sports in Wales.
This information and other topics can be found on the Swim Wales website.
Click on link for latest schedule :-
There was a meeting with our governing body Swim Wales on 17th June 2020 to discuss the on going issues and time frames for swimming to restart in Wales. Below are the items discussed and answers given.
Swim Wales will:
Ø Wait for the ‘‘Green light’ from Welsh Government on Swim Wales Return To Water plans for elite swimmers before implementation.
Ø Roll out our protocols for first post lockdown pool engagement.
Ø Engage with the PIG review on Bath & Loughborough GB squad experience.
Ø Communicate direct to Club Chairs on the return of elite Vs others (Estimated timeline).
Ø Create & communicate guidance to give WG, SW & LA decision makers confidence in our ability to support the 8 other ‘non elite’ user groups (Estimated Friday 3rd July).
Ø Engage a small consultation group on the Club Training Guidance.
Ø Continue to develop club support resources.
Swim Wales Aquatic Development Team
Also presented at the meeting was the two following items :-
Click on Link :- Swim Wales – Affiliated Aquatic Clubs Consultation 2 – Meeting Minutes (1)
Click on link :- SW RTW Road Map June 20
Swim Wales is incredibly busy at the moment developing plans for a return to water for our 9 different users groups, and in consultation with 38 facility owners. As we all know, Welsh government are easing restrictions very slowly, and while we are clearly not the first sport back we know we are ‘in the queue’ and our plans for a safe return to water for a small group of our Welsh National Elite Squad swimmers has been submitted to Welsh Government for consideration.
Welsh Government established several sports groups some weeks ago, and members of our team have been contributing to these as well as other key GB/UK groups. We have been drawing out the knowledge required to help our partners prevail in the coming weeks and months.
Elite swimming will be the first area where we return to water. This is the safest and most practical way for US to make a return. Our colleagues at British Swimming have now had 4 weeks of training under their belt across 2 national centres in England and this will be an extremely useful yardstick for us in Wales. We have a huge opportunity to learn in detail about how safe environments for athletes can work, how we implement virus testing, the necessary routine hygiene and sanitation practices, training logistics, venue management and ultimately be as informed as we possibly can be so that guidance can be made available for all other users involved including parents, volunteers and staff.
Community and club swimming in Wales is a very important component part of the pathway, and it is closely linked to the performance system through our 12 performance clubs in Wales. Some people may assume that when conditions are right for the elite groups to return this would also allow the resumption of the other – but we must take great care to treat these two elements separately. We will continue to work with the other home nations at a domestic level, but everyone needs to be aware that the timeline for the return of community aquatics will run a different course.
We all desperately want the current health crisis to be over, and for all aquatic activity to return throughout the country. However, patience is required by us all and to this point I fully support the message from Brian Davies the Sport Wales interim chief executive last week who said that ‘it is better not to rush and get it right’ and that we must be ‘patient and unified’ at this time.
This week, we have a third scheduled Club Chair COVID-19 consultation session, and I will use this opportunity to explain to Club Chairs the reason why community and club swimming and other aquatic activities like Water polo, Diving and Artistic swimming remain suspended until further notice.
We will continue to encourage our member clubs and participants to stay active, to use the dry land training resources that have been made available to them to prepare locally, following the government guidance at all times. The advice we give to members, clubs and participants across Wales will of course change in line with Welsh Government guidelines and we will continue to maintain strong links with them as we have done since early March.
I appreciate that things are moving slowly, but it is that way for the right reasons.
Please help by keeping each other safe, remaining patient and preparing well.
Thank you
Fergus Feeney
CEO, Swim Wales
17th June 2020
Last year through the support of trainers, operators, and lifeguards, we reached nearly 2 million people with water safety information. As we look, hopefully to pools opening in the near future, this DPW, running from 12-19 June is perfectly placed as a way to engage your communities at a time when you can’t get them into the pool.
This year has certainly been a challenging year, yet we are determined to continue with our mission to prevent drowning and ensure that everybody across the UK and Ireland has the skills and knowledge to enjoy water, safely.
Instead of encouraging the running of water safety events and activities, this year, we are asking people to support the campaign by disseminating our online resources far and wide. We have launched brand NEW, online, certificated lessons for both 5 to 10–year olds and for those 11-years+.
Here is how you could get involved
Your dedication in supporting the campaign and in ensuring that any information is filtered to marketing teams will contribute significantly to public safety this summer.
Engage your members and communities
Here’s information to support you to share the resources
Your workforce
Many staff and operators are currently utilising the governments job retention scheme. Why not engage them in positively supporting the campaign by joining our ‘shared media campaign’.
We are encouraging the water safety community to be proactive and post out consistent water safety messages to increase the reach of this crucial message.
It is our goal to encourage 700 people to post, to replicate the approximate number of individuals that lose their life to drowning across the UK and Ireland, each and every year.
In support, we have created 9 key message templates. With one overarching theme – personal responsibility to learn how to enjoy the water, safely – built around the hashtag – #BeALifesaver
Our online resources can be accessed HERE. There are also graphics in welsh on this link: https://www.rlss.org.uk/dpw-shared-media-campaign
Thank you for helping us spread awareness of water safety and drowning prevention.
Best wishes
RLSS UK
Statement from the governing body with regards to the current lockdown restrictions and what steps are being done for our sport.
Ckick on link for more details.
https://www.swimwales.org/news/swim-wales-operational-statement-june-2020
Stay safe.
Hi all
The committee understand that these coming weeks/months are going to be hard for our parents.
Due to the current pool and club closure the committee has made the decision to suspend all monthly club fees from 1st April until club returns to training.
Unfortunately we are unable to do this and you will need to contact your bank to cancel the standing order from the 1st April.
However, the standing order will need to be reinstated when club restarts.
WASA FEES – Will need to be paid by all swimmers when we return to training as normal. This is your club insurance and our members will need this to be able to enter the pool.
WASA FEES are unchanged from last year and will be £40 for the coming year.
All parents who have already paid I will leave this up to you if you would like a refund now or you would like me to keep this to register with Swim Wales for 20/21.
If you would like a to talk about this further then please message me personally (all in confidence).
Stay safe and updates will be posted as and when we are informed.
The committee
The Committee meet last night and had a contingency plan to allow limited swimming to limited squads. As of this afternoon, the government have made a decision to close all leisure centres to the public. This has made our decision to close club completely out of our hands. Club will be CANCELLED until further notice after tonight’s training session.
We will continue to monitor the situation WEEKLY but believe this is in the best interests of ALL our members.
Further updates will be posted on our social media outlets ie Team APP, Facebook and website.
Please note there will be a post going out later regarding swim fees and WASA fees while pool is cancelled.
Most importantly, please ALL be safe and follow the governments advice during this challenging time.
Phillip Jehu – Chair
Based on Government guidelines and Swim Wales guidance, the following will be enforced immediately by the club:-
Signs and Symptoms
The following symptoms (mild or severe) may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection:
What you can do – Precautions to prevent spread of infection
There are 2 main routes by which people can spread COVID-19:
Therefore,
We are in constant talks with the leisure centre and the governing body on any updates to this advice. Any future update will be posted in the clubs Website, Facebook page and Team App.
The club advises to drop off and pick up children and not enter the leisure centre. Please ensure your child has access to a mobile phone.
On Behalf of the Committee
Heads of the Valleys Swimming Club
The new Team App for the Heads of the Valleys Swimming Club is now up and running. The app can be found by using the following link or going to the App Store and down load the App.
This web site and the Team App will only be the formal communication for the club.
