Freedom Leisure, which operates Brecon leisure centre, Builth Wells swimming pool, Llandrindod Wells sports centre, Rhayader sports centre and Ystradgynlais sports centre on behalf of Powys County Council, is inviting local schools to sign up and join in with the biggest School Swim.

The School Swimathon programme has been developed by the Swimathon Foundation and the ASA. This national event is aimed at school children encouraging them to improve their technique and confidence in the water, culminating in a challenge to swim further than ever before.

Following the success of the event over the past three years, all six centres will be supporting the Swimathon Foundation and the ASA to help pupils across the country to ‘Swim their Best’. Any schools that wish to participate will be able to use their national curriculum weekly swim lessons throughout the 2016 spring term to help improve pupils’ swimming ability. This will build up to a final session during the week of Swimathon 2016, ending on Friday, April 29, where pupils will be challenge to swim their furthest ever.

“We are delighted to support the School Swimathon this year,” says Freedom Leisure area manager Gwyn Owen. “We have chosen to support this event as we believe that swimming is a vital life skill. This is a great opportunity which gives children a goal to aim for and real purpose for developing their swimming skills and confidence in the water. It also gives schools a great incentive and motivation for their pupils: we hope to see many of our local schools signing up.”

The School Swimathon Challenge is open to all school children, both primary and secondary, who are receiving school swimming lessons at any of the six centres. Teachers must register their class and provide details of all participating children in order for them to be part of School Swimathon 2016.

For further information on the School Swimathon and to register visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk or www.schoolswimathon.org.