Young Swimmers Invited to Design Commemorative Swim Cap

Young swimmers in Scotland have the opportunity to showcase their creativity through a new competition celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Learn to Swim programme. This initiative invites children to design a commemorative swim cap, with the winning design to be revealed by Olympic medallist Duncan Scott and Paralympic champion Toni Shaw during a special event later this year.

The competition aligns with Learn to Swim Month, which takes place every September. Children currently enrolled in the programme can submit their designs via an online form. The judging panel will consist of representatives from Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water, who will select the winner based on creativity and representation of what swimming means to them—be it fun, freedom, learning, or adventure.

The Learn to Swim Framework, a collaboration between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming, has successfully taught over 210,000 children and adults to swim, contributing significantly to water safety and confidence in aquatic environments. Duncan Scott, Scotland’s most decorated Olympian, expressed his enthusiasm for the programme’s impact, stating, “The success of the Learn to Swim programme over the past decade has been phenomenal. We’ve reached hundreds of thousands of young people and are continuing to grow year after year.”

Toni Shaw, a passionate ambassador for the initiative since 2021, noted the importance of this competition in celebrating the achievements of the past decade. She highlighted the opportunities created for young people, particularly those facing unique challenges, and expressed excitement about the designs that children will submit.

The young designer whose cap is chosen will receive a unique cap featuring their artwork, along with a goodie bag. Additionally, the winning design will be produced in limited numbers for use by learners at their respective Learn to Swim providers. The programme has expanded to include 38 leisure trusts and aquatic providers operating in 167 pools throughout Scotland, currently facilitating swim lessons for around 84,000 participants each week, with a goal of reaching an additional 50,000 by 2028.

Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water, emphasized the significance of the programme’s ten-year milestone, stating, “We are proud to support the Learn to Swim programme and work with Scottish Swimming and all the leisure trusts and aquatic providers across the country to create ‘Generation Swim’—a generation of confident, safer, and competent swimmers.” He underscored the importance of water safety skills, aiming to ensure that everyone can enjoy Scotland’s waterways safely.

The Learn to Swim Framework has also made strides in promoting inclusivity, with over 2,700 children with disabilities participating in the programme, more than 80% of whom now swim in mainstream lessons. John Lunn, Chief Executive at Scottish Swimming, reflected on the programme’s progress, noting that the upcoming celebration event will recognize the contributions of all partners involved in this initiative.

The 10th Anniversary Celebration Event will take place on October 30, 2023, at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. This event will not only unveil the winning design but will also gather key partners and supporters to reflect on a decade of achievements in water safety, inclusion, and physical literacy.

Entries for the competition are currently open and can be submitted online. For more information about the Learn to Swim Framework, visit www.learn2swim.scot.