Harrogate Diving Club in talks about pools reopening and new disability diving squad

Divers at Harrogate District Diving Club are delighted at the prospect of returning to training soon after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a cautious reopening of swimming pools and club sessions in phase 2 of easing of restrictions.
Harrogate District Diving Club are already planning their return and when they do, they will bringing back a new disability diving squad.Harrogate District Diving Club are already planning their return and when they do, they will bringing back a new disability diving squad.
Harrogate District Diving Club are already planning their return and when they do, they will bringing back a new disability diving squad.

Outdoor swimming pools and lidos plus open water venues will be allowed to open from March 29 in the first phase of easing lockdown restrictions after schools resume 8 March.

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Five weeks later from April 12, indoor pools can reopen for individual use and club sessions for under 18’s in all aquatic sports are also allowed to resume from this date.

The club is working with the Harrogate Borough Council and the new Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC) Managing Director Mark Tweedie to ensure aquatic sports like diving and the health benefits they provide are accessible to all in our community.

Mark Tweedie managing director of Brimhams Active said: “Swimming pools play an incredibly important role in helping people maintain an active lifestyle, as well as supporting young people to learn an essential life skill and enjoy competitive sport across a wide range of aquatic disciplines, including diving.

"We are really pleased to have the green light to reopen again so we can welcome people back to our community swimming pools to enjoy the aquatic activities they love.

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"Our district’s swimming and diving clubs do incredible work, and with support from Swim England we are working with our clubs to produce a long-term development plan for aquatics. "This plan will ensure we make the most of the opportunity presented by the multimillion pound council investments planned to improve the district’s leisure centres over the next three years.”

Harrogate District Diving Club are already planning their return and when they do, they will bringing back a new disability diving squad.

Previously disability diving sessions were run by the club and council and as one of only 2 disability diving schemes in England.

These have not taken place since March 2020. However, the club is keen to bring it back when diving returns in April.

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Club Chair Leanne Jalland said: “We have several divers in our competitive squads who have hidden disabilities.

"One of the most important things we have learnt from this pandemic as a club is how diving as a sport benefits both the mental and physical wellbeing of our divers.

"Therefore, we are keen to bring those benefits to others in our community and make diving accessible to all.”

According to Autism Swim, well directed aquatic sports have been shown to help those with ASD regulate their excitement and anxiety levels and improvements can be seen in motor functions, sensory, social, communication, cognitive, and emotional skills.

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The improvement in fitness from diving and aquatic sports has also been shown to translate to benefits in other areas of life.

Harrogate District Diving Club are currently welcoming new members with both competitive and non competitive recreational membership options available.

Whether you child is interested in learning to dive for the first time or wishes to return to diving please email [email protected] for further information.

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