Nick Raynsford, Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, visited the Waterfront Leisure Centre recently to celebrate the success of the Government’s introduction of free swimming for over 60s and under 16s.

Greenwich Council is one of the Local Authorities that has taken advantage of the Government’s £140m free swimming initiative and has provided free swims to over 15,000 people since April this year.

The Council is contributing just under £70,000 over two years to support the Swim4Free initiative in the borough. The scheme is part of a plan to leave a lasting legacy from London Olympics 2012, giving people across the borough more opportunities to become active. To learn more about swimming facilities near you, visit www.greenwich.gov.uk/Greenwich/LeisureCulture/SportLeisure and follow the links.

Nick says: ‘I never had any doubt that free swimming was going to make a splash and am delighted that the initiative is so popular with both young and older people. It shows how the Government is using London 2012 to give sport a real lift and is working with Councils to get more people more active. I would like to congratulate Greenwich Council for taking the plunge and urge even more local residents to dive in and make the most of the offer of free swimming’.