Dorset County ASA

Safety advice for open water swimmers published as lockdown is eased

May 13, 2020 By Dorset ASA

Key safety advice for open water swimmers has been drawn up by Swim England, British Triathlon and the Royal Life Saving Society UK following the partial lifting of the Coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The bodies have collaborated to draw up guidance after the Government announced open water swimming would be possible from Wednesday 13 May.

The three organisations are encouraging people to take extra precautions when swimming in lakes, rivers or the sea, no matter how experienced they are. The aim is to help prevent swimmers from getting into difficulties in open water, especially as the majority of locations will not have lifeguards, and putting extra pressure on already stretched emergency services.

The Covid-19 Guidance to Open Water Swimmers is being hosted on the SH2OUT website and includes:

Information on where to swim and accredited venues
Six key steps to consider before going on an open water swim at unsupervised locations
Assessing risk due to weather conditions and water temperature
Advice on wetsuits and equipment
Course planning and the safe entry and exit of the water
Plus, recovery and nutrition.

Think of others

Jane Nickerson, Swim England Chief Executive, said: “It’s imperative that even the most seasoned of open water swimmers reads through this advice and follows it carefully. Not knowing the temperature of the water or how strong the current is could lead to swimmers struggling and in need of emergency help. That’s something we’re keen to avoid at all times but even more so in the current situation. We’re pleased to have worked so closely with British Triathlon and the Royal Life Saving Society UK on this guidance to ensure our members can enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings safely.”

Andy Salmon, Chief Executive of British Triathlon, said: “We would encourage anyone considering open water swimming over the coming weeks to think before doing so and read our advice very carefully. During these unprecedented times, it is vital that we think of others before ourselves and make sure we neither risk the spreading of the Covid-19 virus or place unnecessary burden on emergency services. We would also urge swimmers to comply with government guidance on social distance and travel.”

Know your limitations

Royal Life Saving Society UK Chief Executive Robert Gofton said: “We are extremely concerned that people will now rush to get into open water without proceeding with caution and understanding the potential life-threatening implications. If you are not used to swimming in open water, we strongly urge you NOT to start now unless you can do so under supervision and guidance. Open water sites, including beaches, are not currently supervised. There is no one to help you if you get in trouble and emergency services may not be able to get to you in time. Please stay sensible, know your limitations, and please enjoy the water, safely.”

The RNLI has warned that there are currently no lifeguards on beaches and anyone who goes sea swimming must “understand the risks and take the necessary steps to keep themselves safe.” Meanwhile, the three organisations are also due to publish advice for venues on the safest way to operate in line with social distancing measures in the near future. They are also encouraging people to use facilities as close to where they live as possible.

This advice is for England only and aimed at individual swimmers This guidance IS NOT aimed at clubs, regardless of whether a club takes part in open water swimming activities. NO CLUB ACTIVITY SHOULD BE TAKING PLACE AT THIS TIME.

Issued 13 May 2020

Swim England to double the number of water polo players in five years

May 12, 2020 By Dorset ASA

Swim England is aiming to double the number of registered water polo players in the next five years as part of its new strategy to develop the sport. On 29 April the NGB’s Water Polo Leadership Group has published the comprehensive Swim England Water Polo Strategy 2020-2025, which details a number of targets to help the sport grow, and has been developed following months of consultations with players, officials, volunteers and sports administrators. The strategy is the vision of the Swim England Water Polo Leadership Group chairman Toby King, who is keen to boost the profile of the sport.

A total of 6,900 water polo players were registered with Swim England in 2019 but the goal is to see that number increase to 14,000 by 2025. The document details plans to enhance participation and training at every level of the sport. Swim England’s competition structure will be reviewed and there will be a drive to recruit more technical officials at all levels of the game. The strategy also includes a real impetus on coaching, with a regular coaches’ forum and opportunities to share training techniques.

Strategy to be proud of

There will also be better communication with the water polo community, which will include reports on how well performance targets are being met. Toby King said: “Despite the current challenging circumstances, I am delighted to be publishing our five-year vision for water polo. We believe we can double the number of registered players in the next few years, which should help us boost the profile of the sport. This will lead to more and better competitions, coaches and officials, as well as helping us compete on the global stage and attracting more funding.”

Swim England calls on Government to support pools at risk of closure

May 12, 2020 By Dorset ASA

Swim England is calling on the Government to help prevent hundreds of swimming pools at risk of being mothballed due to the Coronavirus lockdown. The national governing body fears potentially up to 10 per cent of the 5,000 swimming pools in England will stay shut even after restrictions are eased by the Government.

Discussions between Swim England and pool operators and owners has revealed how financial worries and the cost of bringing a pool out of lockdown may result in facilities remaining closed indefinitely. Swim England is now asking the Government to ensure that financial support is available to help pools and ensure that communities do not lose a facility, which generates significant social value. Detailed guidance and support to help pools reopen is also being developed by Swim England.

Swim England has released The Importance of Pools Post-lockdown document, which details how a 25-metre pool can generate £7.2 million social value in community savings, and save the NHS and social care system more than £1.2 million. Swim England’s Value of Swimming report, published last November, also revealed that aquatic activity helps to save the health and social care system more than £357 million pounds per year.

Before the lockdown around 14 million adults in England went swimming each year, with more than one million children learning to swim outside of school through Swim England’s Learn to Swim programmes. Swim England is, and will be, working with key partners and colleagues in the sector to set out specific guidance for each of the disciplines and activities.

Jane Nickerson, Swim England chief executive, said: “It is clear that facilities have been hit hard by the impact of Covid-19, and there is a real concern that some pools will not reopen. Whilst we understand the recent impact on the public purse, it would be a short-sighted view to not invest in swimming pools today which we know will have a bigger, long-term impact on the health and well-being of our society. That is why it is so important that pools are given the necessary support to reopen their doors for people to enjoy once more.”

She continued: “We know that swimming improves people’s physical and mental well-being, supports community cohesion and saves the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds each year. Swimming can tackle a number of the problems facing society, particularly at the moment, in a way that other sports cannot. Swimming pools generate huge amounts of social value for their local communities, with people of all ages able to enjoy them. For some, they are the only appropriate environment that enables them to be active and transform their lives. We ask that all partners, stakeholders and the Government support our commitment to reopen all pools as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Issued 7 May 2020

User safety for making video conference calls

May 11, 2020 By Dorset ASA

Swim England and the Institute of Swimming have issued some expert advice to its’ members, affiliated clubs and customers regarding the safe use of video conference technology. Both organisations have been using Zoom to stage internal and external meetings during the Covid-19 outbreak, which has enabled the organisations to communicate widely during this time and directly with people at home.

For many this will be the first time using video conferencing, so Swim England and the Institute of Swimming have produced guidance to ensure video meetings are secure and safe. A Swim England spokesperson said: “More and more people are using technology to communicate during the Coronavirus lockdown. It is a vital tool for meetings and also just keeping in touch with friends and family. We recommend you use our top tips which apply not only to Zoom but also other third-party chat tools. Please read the advice from the National Security Cyber Centre. The important thing to remember is to update the Zoom app to the latest version. Version five has just been released.”

Here are the do’s and don’ts hosts should follow when creating a meeting to ensure that it is safe.

Don’ts

Never publish your meeting password on a public forum/website.
Don’t click on any links that appear from a chat video. Ask the participant to send this via email.
Don’t accept any files via Messenger or meeting forum tools.
Don’t assume that all Zoom meeting invites/links are safe. Verify this with the person who has sent you the invite.
Never join in with a meeting that doesn’t have a password.
Never give control of your screen to a third party.
Don’t accept any files from chat forums.
Don’t assume all invites are legit and safe. Some people use this as a phishing tool to obtain usernames and passwords. Check the URL and where it takes you.

Do’s

Always update the app proactively and when you are prompted to do so – don’t wait for later. The latest version of Zoom is April 27, 2020 Version 5.0.0 (23168.0427).
Always set up the meeting with a nine character password.
Always lock the meeting room once all known participants have arrived.
Remove unwanted participants and prevent them from re-joining the meeting.
Mute participants on entry of meetings.
Disable video on entry of meetings.
Enable waiting rooms to verify participants where possible.
Encourage the use of “Allow only signed-in users to join”.

Swim England has also developed some support videos for the utilisation of Zoom. The videos cover essential functions, how to navigate Zoom, and how to use specific Zoom features. They can be viewed by clicking here.

Issued 6 May 2020

Swim England provides guidance for reopening of pools

May 7, 2020 By Dorset ASA

Swim England has provided initial guidance for UK Active and the Sport and Recreation Alliance on how to re-open more than 4,000 of the country’s swimming pools. In consultation with key partners, the national governing body will now start to develop more detailed recommendations for operators, clubs, swim schools and stakeholders, which will be based on the latest scientific guidance on measures needed to ensure the safe use of facilities following the Coronavirus lockdown.

Swim England has been working closely with pool operators on how to maintain pools since they were shut on Friday 20 March by the Government. Webinars, technical Q&As, and advice on how to hibernate pools or manage the facility during the lockdown have been shared with hundreds of local authorities and facility owners. The next step will be emergence, and detailed plans will be produced when the Government unveils its’ exit strategy from the lockdown.

Swim England Head of Facilities, Richard Lamburn, said: “We’ve been in discussions with government departments and provided initial guidance on the re-opening of swimming pools. The science and understanding of Covid-19 in the swimming pool environment is evolving every day, and we are continuing to monitor and support research in this area in co-operation with international partners. We will be developing our guidance in line with scientific research and alongside the information from the Government on the national exit of the lockdown.”

Ensuring information is in place

Lamburn further stated: “The exit strategy will have a significant impact on how the sector can operate and, until these exact details are known, we won’t be issuing any detailed advice. However, we are working hard to ensure that the information is in place ready for when the Government announces the easing of the measures.”

Swim England would ideally like up to three weeks’ notice for the industry to get pools ready for use again. However, Swim England is endeavouring to support the industry, whatever the time frame, to ensure facilities are safe and ready for swimmers to return to the pool following the enforced closure. A number of procedures need to be carried out, such as re-heating the pool, which can only be increased by 0.25 degrees an hour, and ensuring that the water has passed a micro-biological test.

“We have been in regular communication with key stakeholders regarding the impact on facilities and have also been sharing knowledge and information with Sport England, Swim Ireland, Scottish Swimming and Swim Wales”, Lamburn added. “A lot of pools have never closed before so we’ve been providing the guidance and support needed to local authorities and operators to ensure they were safely shut down and maintained.”

Swim England also sits on the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group’s Technical and executive committee to assist with detailed guidance notes on the closure and reopening of facilities.

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