Mayor of London Boris Johnson launches Make a Splash campaign

Written by James Gadsby-Peet 23rd October 2009

Boris Johnson and Kate Hoey join Greenwood pupils, Gladiators' Enigma & Doom, Lionel Rosenblatt (Variety Club), John Spencer (MWBEX), Phil Taylor (Ealing)

Gladiators stars Enigma and Doom joined the Mayor and his Commissioner for Sport Kate Hoey on a visit to Greenwood primary school in Ealing, where pupils tried out a mobile pool that has been temporarily installed for use by the school and the local community.

The pool is part of PlaySport London's Make a Splash campaign, a new scheme that offers swimming in parts of London without facilities, which is being delivered in partnership with The Variety Club, serviced office providers MWBex, the Amateur Swimming Association, Total Swimming and London Swimming.

Swimming is a fantastic sport, great exercise, and also wonderful fun. Yet finding a place to swim is not as simple as going out for a jog. We've taken the plunge with Make a Splash and as it streams across the capital thousands more Londoners - whatever their age, novice or otherwise - will be able to practise their strokes. This is only the start - we will be confirming further details of our £7.5m investment in community sports facilities over the coming months, which will mean many more Londoners will be able to try out a sport and get more active.

Boris Johnson

For this first scheme, the Mayor, The Variety Club and MWBex have funded two swimming pools, which will be placed in three venues each during the next year. Pools will be hosted by London boroughs and operate six or seven days a week from 9am to 9pm. They will offer intensive classes to all age groups, including adult and child sessions and 60+ classes. Over 75 per cent of the users of these pools are expected to be non-swimmers and there will be experienced instructors on hand. It is envisaged that there will be 800-1000 swims per week in the pools, which will be in situ for between 12-15 weeks.

Boris Johnson addresses the children of Greenwood Primary School

The first pool will remain at Greenwood primary school until 19 December and a second pool is being introduced the new year, meaning many more will have a chance to take up the scheme. Further information about hosting a pool can be found at www.makeasplashlondon.org

We are delighted to be involved in this exciting project. Sport is a real passion of mine and to give children the opportunity to get fit and in some cases try something new can only be a real positive. The Make a Splash initiative is the ideal vehicle to do this.

John Spencer, Chief Executive of MWB Business Exchange