Newark and Sherwood District Council invests at Newark Sports and Fitness Centre to enable Newark Swimming Club to train up to national standards
A council has provided funding to secure new competition-level starting blocks, enabling a swimming club to enhance its training facilities.
Newark and Sherwood District Council’s investment is part of the council’s wider commitment to supporting grassroots sport.
It aims to improve access to high-quality facilities and help residents, particularly young people, pursue pathways into higher-level and, hopefully, professional sporting activities.
The new starting blocks for the main pool at Newark Sports and Fitness Centre will enable Newark Swimming Club to train to national standards.
Newark Swimming Club has seen exceptional success in recent years, with swimmers achieving regional and national accolades.
Councillor Susan Crosby, portfolio holder for Health, Wellbeing and Leisure at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “We’re delighted to support Active4Today and Newark Swimming with this funding. I met with Newark Swimming Club whose members will be using the blocks, and it was brilliant hearing about all of the success of the club in recent years and how much enjoyment their members get from swimming.
“I spoke to one young boy from Newark who was not a confident swimmer when he started with the club. He started at age 8 in the small pool and now swims at County level.
“I hope these new starting blocks will help more swimmers train to competition standards and give them the best chance to build confidence in the water and succeed at the highest levels.
“Clubs are vital to our community, not just for promoting health and wellbeing, but also for nurturing our young people, their talent and ambition.
“We are absolutely committed to helping to provide these opportunities to our residents to help them flourish and grow.”
Newark Swimming Club was established in 1935 and has since been offering support to hundreds of children with their swimming.
The Club are taking huge strides in the competitive swimming world, with swimmers competing in Counties and most recently the Regional galas.
With over 180 members, their squads are full, and fully inclusive, welcoming individuals of all ages and abilities.
Adam McIntyre, head coach at Newark Swimming Club, said: “The diving blocks have already had such a massive impact on our swimmers, even though we've only had them for a couple of sessions.
“It allows our swimmer to train with the equipment that they'll use in races at most other pools, giving them the best possible chance of being successful and achieving their goals.
“A massive thanks to everyone involved in making this happen for not just for our current swimmers, but for future Newark SC swimmers for years to come.”