The swimming office consists of :
Andrew Learmonth - swimming development officer
Louise Graham- chief swimming coach
Richard Denigan - senior age group coach
Alan Miller - community swimming coach
Adrian Hinchliffe - senior diving coach
Edwin Jongejans - age group diving coach
Louise Wells- lifesaving co-ordinator (20 hrs pw)
Joanne Chadwick - Heartstart co-ordinator
To contact the swim office:
Tel: 0113 2475250
or use the email link on this page.
Leeds City Council Swimming Training Scheme
The largest and most successful swimming training scheme in the country. Run by the chief coach, Ian Greyson. Ian has two full time coaches to assist with the running of the scheme as well as thirty five "casual" hourly paid coaches. The scheme has 550 swimmers ranging from 6 and 7 year olds at entry level, through to international swimmers. Every four years for as long as anyone can remember, Leeds has had swimmers on the Olympic team. The swimming training scheme works in partnership with the City of Leeds swimming club. The club is the most successful club in the country and has finished top club in the country on numerous occasions, as well as National Speedo League winners.
Leeds City Council Diving Training Scheme
Run on similar lines to the swimming scheme. The scheme is run by senior coach Adrian Hinchliffe, with assistance of one other full time coach and twelve "casual" hourly paid coaches. There are over 100 divers in the scheme and almost 100 divers in the beginners programme below the scheme. In 2004 Leeds diver Tandi Gerrard represented Great Britain at the Athens Olympic Games along with her coach Adrian Hinchliffe who also coaches the Great Britain team. Working along with British Diving, Leeds has started a huge talent identification programme. Over 2,000 school children will be tested, some retested, until a final group of 25 were selected to go onto a two year programme. The diving training scheme works in partnership with the City of Leeds Diving club, one of the most successful diving clubs in the country.
Leeds Lifesaving
Louise Wells, the lifesaving co-ordinator is solely responsible for Leeds Lifesaving. She organised an extensive education programme for the public, clubs and schools. Most candidates on her National Pool Lifeguard Qualification courses end up getting employment with the authority as lifeguards. Through the Activate credit system she organises water safety courses for primary schools and recently started the Heartstart project which is a two year funded programme to take lifesaving and first aid into all Leeds schools. RLSS bronze medallion courses are offered to secondary schools as it can be used as credits for GCSE, P.E. She works with the leisure centres and clubs to deliver junior and adult lifesaving and competitions. Save a Baby, Life Support and First Aid courses are popular in the community, especially with women’s groups, youth service, scout groups and sports clubs.
Swimming Development
Andrew Learmonth the swimming development officer is responsible for overseeing the above and working with the governing body (ASA), schools, clubs, community groups, leisure centres, other authority swimming development officers and community sports officers. Leeds swimming development is an approved ASA education centre, one of the largest in the country, offering a variety of swimming courses for external and internal customers. Internal customers being leisure centre staff and school teachers. Support is also given to the 222 primary schools who swim each week in our leisure centres (approx. 10,000 swims). Work continues on raising the National Curriculum pass rates in schools at key stage 2. Primary and secondary school swimming galas offer children the chance to compete, possibly for the first time if they are not a member of a swimming club. Clubs are supported through visits, free places on coach education courses and promotion through our club directory. Help is being given to two clubs on their Swim21 accreditation. Community clubs and groups frequently seek advice on venues, qualifications and funding. Sport facilities run the Swim Leeds, "learn to swim programme" with over 12,000 swims per week. The scheme is managed by the swimming office, the scheme was tailored to Leeds needs and continues to be developed. Leeds has a place on the recently formed West Yorkshire Partnership Liaison Group for swimming. The group work together sharing best practice etc.
Examples of work done in swimming to meet the council’s objectives
Young People
Most of the work of the swimming development team is with young people, whether it is with the "Learn to Swim" programme, the swimming and diving training schemes or with schools. After school clubs have been set up as either competitive clubs or "Learn to Swim". This work will continue as we start to run "Top up" lessons for children who haven’t reached the national curriculum standard at key stage 2.
BEM Groups
A swimming information leaflet has been produced and translated into various community languages. This has been distributed to health centres, community centres and schools in the inner city area.
Women
Some of the women only swimming sessions that form part of most leisure centre swimming pool programmes have now been staffed by female lifeguards making them accessible to all women from the community.
Disabled
A full audit of swimming facilities was undertaken, including access, adapted equipment and any specific swimming sessions. This information has been published in a booklet and copies distributed to every GP’s surgery in Leeds, to hospital physio’s and special schools (for a copy please use the link on this page entitled sport and active recreation programme for disabled people). Work has recently taken place with the Daniel Yorath clinic for brain injuries at Garforth and they are now using Rothwell leisure centre on a weekly basis.
Economically Disadvantaged
With funding from Yorkshire Water Swimcare we have been able to offer free swimming lessons to 120 Primary school children who haven’t yet reached the national curriculum standard for key stage 2. These children were selected by the schools and come from socially and economically disadvantaged families. Each child received a 'crash' course of lessons in the holidays.