British Gas Bring Pools to the People

WINDSOR, England - Double Olympic Gold medal swimmer, Rebecca Adlington launches the British Gas Pools 4 SchoolsTM initiative today giving thousands of British children the chance to learn to swim in temporary pools across the country.

With 1 in 5 children unable to swim a length by the time they leave Primary School, the new partnership will help teach children a vital life skill as well as improving fitness.

Pools 4 Schools(TM) is the brainchild of Total Swimming’s chief executive, former British swimming captain and Athens Olympic Bronze medallist, Steve Parry. The programme provides temporary pools and swimming opportunities in areas of ‘aquatic deprivation’ across the UK. The pool remains in place for six weeks with local school children taking part in a course of six lessons.

Today’s backing by British Gas will help ensure a 40% increase in the usage of temporary pools and the total hours which the pools can devote to community use. This builds upon primary funding from DCSF and additional funds from groups of local partners.

British Gas’ support for Pools 4 Schools(TM) underpins its overall sponsorship of British Swimming, announced on March 12, and demonstrates its ambition to contribute to all levels of swimming from the paddling pool to the podium. Pools 4 Schools(TM) was established in 2007 and has already benefited thousands of young children who, as a result of the programme have learned to swim, or more importantly, overcome aqua phobia.

Rebecca Adlington, was accompanied at the launch at Preston Park Primary School, Wembley by fellow Olympic Gold medallist, Duncan Goodhew, as well as Steve Parry and Total Swimming director Adi Turner. Rebecca met some of the 500 school children from Preston Park School and other schools from Brent who will be benefiting from the Pools 4 Schools(TM) programme.

Rebecca Adlington said, “Getting kids swimming is so important. The British Gas Pools 4 Schools(TM) programme enables more kids to get in the water and get some coaching even in areas where they don’t normally have access to pools. British Gas’ commitment to grassroots schemes like this is crucial to the future of swimming in the UK.”

Rebecca’s comments were endorsed by Rick Vlemmiks, the marketing director of British Gas: “Our involvement with swimming in Britain is about making a difference at all levels from the paddling pool to the podium. With too many children being unable to swim it is great that we can do our bit to help our kids learn a new and potentially lifesaving skill.

“Swimming pools are part of the fabric of British life and, with 12 million customers across the country, British Gas is also a core part of the nation. We want to keep swimming at the heart of our communities and encourage greater take up of the sport.”

Chris Gibson, Kingsbury School Sports Partnership Manager said: “The current results from the British Gas Pools 4 Schools(TM) programme have been tremendous in Brent, with 120 hours of curriculum swimming and over 5,500 swim visits by our primary pupils. The quality of coaching and child to coach ratio has meant that those who were unable to swim have developed confidence and improved significantly more than they would have done otherwise. The temporary pool has been a great success and we hope that this project enhances the work of the partnership within all cluster schools and shows that school sport is alive and kicking.”

Steve Parry, Total Swimming’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted that British Gas, a prestigious household name, is joining DCSF, DCMS ASA and our local partners, such as Brent. This additional support will enable us to target even more areas of aquatic deprivation and, in each of those locations, achieve greater penetration and awareness.”

David Sparks, the Chief Executive of British Swimming and the ASA added his wholehearted support to the Total Swimming Pools 4 Schools(TM) programme, and expressed his delight that British Gas was adding to its existing investment in British swimming, announced eight weeks ago, by enabling the DCSF initiative to be taken to a wider audience.

Notes to Editors

British Gas supplies gas and electricity to UK residential and business customers and provides central heating and gas appliance installation services.

The business is divided into four areas:

Residential: The biggest gas and electric supplier in Britain’s domestic market with more than 16m customer accounts.

Services: Britain’s largest operator in the central heating and installation of domestic central heating and gas appliances.

Business: Britain’s leading supplier of energy to business, from small to medium-sized customers through to large industrial and commercial users.

New Energy: Launched in April 2007 to supply the growing British market for low-carbon and energy-efficient products and services.

Full Contact Details: Centrica plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 5GD +44(0)845-072-8001

Source: British Gas Plc

Full Contact Details: Centrica plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GD, +44(0)845-072-8001