A swimming scheme at a leisure centre has made waves with local young children with hundreds taking up the scheme.
Freedom Leisure – which operates Summerfields Leisure Centre in partnership with Hastings Borough Council - welcomed more than 700 children for its free swimming initiative which launched on July 1.
The not-for-profit trust introduced the scheme to encourage children and families to be active through swimming.
Members and non-members can register enabling all families with young children to enjoy the benefit.
Parents simply register their children once and then they can swim for free at all public swimming times, as often as they wish.
The only stipulation is that, in order to meet health and safety regulations, one full-paying adult per one or two children also swims.
Leisure centre manager Matt James said: “We’re thrilled with the uptake so far.
“It’s been great to see an increase in the number of local children swimming and enjoying the water for fun with their family and friends.
“It’s important for children to stay active during the summer holidays, when school PE programmes aren’t running.
“However we appreciate that this can be an expensive time for families. Our free swimming initiative is the perfect solution. Under normal admission an under-fives swim costs £1.25.
“Children aged five to eight cost £2.60.
That could tot up to quite a saving for parents over the school holidays and will help make their pocket money go a little further.”
For more information call Summerfields Leisure Centre on 01424 457691 or visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk.