Free school holiday swimming sessions extended

Thousands of children on Merseyside will continue to be offered free swimming sessions during school holidays.

Knowsley has the highest childhood obesity rates in England and the free swimming scheme aims to remove the financial barriers faced by many young people and families to participating in regular physical activity.

Knowsley Council confirmed the scheme, launched in 2024, would continue to be funded for the next two years.

Council leader Graham Morgan said there had so far been a "fantastic take-up" from people in the borough.

"It is clear that over the last year the scheme has had a huge impact on the number of children and young people accessing health and wellbeing sessions and taking up swimming in the borough," said Morgan.

"By removing the financial barrier to these swim sessions, not only are we providing young people with a free fun activity to take part in during the school holidays, but we are also ensuring that they enjoy active and healthy lifestyles."

The sessions are provided in partnership with Volair, which runs the borough's leisure centres.

Between August 2024 and February 2025 a total of 8,719 free sessions for under-16s were taken up across Volair's four sites.

Knowsley's public health director Dr Sarah McNulty welcomed news of the scheme's extension.

She said being physically active "is a really important way of combating obesity".

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