Doncaster Swimming – Our Kids Our Choice

DCLT’s Chief Executive comments on the Misinformation post. Welcome to the discussion Micahael.

DCLT are looking forward to meeting with the individual clubs over the next few weeks to go through any concerns. We will not address them over social and digital media sites but are hopeful of constructive face to face meetings.

It is our understanding that all organisations involved in this discussion believe that information could have been misrepresented and misquoted, the meeting will be an opportunity for facts to be shared.

We appreciate that this is a highly emotive subject but we intend to continue with our consultation as planned via a series of meetings. DCLT will not respond to any further posts on this subject until after all the meetings have taken place.

Michael Hart
Chief Executive

With DCLT again telling concerned parents and Look North that we are providing misinformation I”ll again ask DCLT to explain where it is. Which post on the site is misinformation?
Also DCLT are telling people that they have been blocked from our sites and in fact some of their posts have been deleted.
I can categorically state as the only administrator of Facebook, Twitter and this website, that none of their posts have been removed and NOBODY has been blocked from any of the sites. Misinformation? I welcome any response from DCLT to concerned parents.

Here’s a facebook post on our wall
Neil Stephenson –

DCLT tells Look North we are misinforming parents of their proposals…I have several copies of their strategy document available for anyone to read and also have it on computer which I am happy to share, why don’t DCLT put it on their website?…I do not run this website But can clarify that all information posted is factual, this isn’t against DCLT staff who do a great job at all the centers around Doncaster,It’s simply against the Managements proposals to stop Clubs teaching swimming for just 2 hours per week…..We don’t want DCLTs teaching times which could be 7 days a week, we only want our 2 hours.
We will be on Look North…We will have our say…We will have our Choice.

DCLT join the discussion whenever you want. If you want to contact me there’s a link at the top of the page or email info@doncasterswim.com

And to reiterate Neil’s message – we have no problem with how DCLT are running leisure centres in Doncaster. We do however have a massive problem with them enforcing changes on Doncaster swimming clubs.

Recent posts on our facebook wall from parents.

Hell Will Freeze – Daniel Lancaster

Having recently pulled my daughter out of DCLT swimming lessons, hell will freeze out before i would send her back there. She’s has only been going to Adwick swimming club for 2 weeks BUT the change is tremendous she cant wait to go swimming now. Not like when she was with DCLT she would cry for an hour before she went and the and the teachers weren’t bothered they’d tell her to stop and get it. She got to the point that she was scared of going, so I pulled her out. Swimming should be an enjoyment and the teachers should be able to adapt to each childs needs not just rally them through the system. Swimming is not just learning the strokes but making the children confident in the water and this was never taught to my child…….. I cant believe that after 40 yrs they want to get rid of a club that has done so much good!!!! Both me and my sister learnt to swim there and we have only good memories. If this goes ahead it leaves me no choice other than to not send my daughter swimming and that is the last thing i want to do ……. what has happened to choice.

Swimming Times Article – Carol Hargrave

The system of transferring youngsters from leisure centres learn-to-swim classes into clubs was not working in most places. Philip Gordon, President and Secretary of Cornwall ASA says: ‘the kids are supposed to be handed over to the clubs at level 7 but many reach levels 4 or 5 and drop out. The others are pushed through without being taught properly, so the club has to put them back with younger swimmers before they continue. All this is a disaster for competitive swimming. The leisure centres like learn-to-swim because it brings in income but the clubs would rather have them aged 8 or 9 so they can train them up for competition rather than aged 10 or 11. The ASA has this dream that swimmers will learn to swim in a leisure centre, reach level 7 and become competitive swimmers. It doesn’t work like that on the ground. It’s just a pipe dream’.
Quoted from the Swimming Times, February 2013 Edition p 51.

Read the rest of this entry →

Let us know how much you pay currently for Swimming Lessons in Doncaster. We want to hear from all parents from Swimming Clubs, DCLT and Private lessons.

If DCLT changes come into place will you put your kids in their lessons or choose another option?

Your Choices if changes take place
Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust  advertise their lessons FROM £16.25 per month. What is the actual from figure? Looks like the average is £19.60 per month.

Private Lessons
Swim Stars & Dolphins Not sure of pricing will add when I know.
Super Swimmers 1st lesson Free. Not sure what the pricing is. I’ll update when I find out.

Swimming Clubs – Teaching Will Not Be Allowed
Adwick Swimming Club – £12.50 per month. 3rd child free.
Armthorpe Swimming Club – £17 per month
Edlington Swimming Club – £18.50 per month
Rossington Swimming Club – Not sure of prices

An article has been printed in today’s Doncaster Free Press.

Page 1 – Anger Over Swim Plans

AMATEUR swimming clubs are concerned by moves by council bosses to run swimming lessons.
There are fears that clubs that have taught thousands of children for generations could be forced to fold. Read the rest of this entry →

Here’s a few of the amazing people who have given up there free time to teach kids to swim in Doncaster. None of them have ever expected paying to do something they love. DCLT planned changes would mean Doncaster kids would lose these invaluable assets to Doncaster Swimming.

   
To get your badge Click Here to goto the submission form.

I want to ask a simple question to anyone involved in Doncaster swimming. That means the volunteers of Swimming Clubs, the private teaching providers and the employees of DCLT .

Why are you involved in Doncaster swimming?

Don’t tell us what you do, or about the money as that is a result of what you do. We simply want to know WHY you are involved in Swimming.

Under DCLT’s proposed changes, not only will the most experienced swimming teachers not be required, but who do they think train the teachers?

How many DCLT teachers have learnt their trade from swimming clubs experience?

The thing with VOLUNTEERS is they don’t clock in or out and when it snows – pah that’s not going to stop them turning up.

Here’s the Adwick team that turned up even though the weather outside was frightful.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.