Not sure where Dame Kelly is getting her stats but we thought even more than 6 out of 10 did little more than stroll around Topshop. The Prime Minister agrees with her - read it here.

"Recent research showed that by the age of 18 four out of ten girls in Britain have stopped doing any kind of sport.

Dame Kelly, 37, is determined to do something about it. Since retiring from athletics, she has become National School Sport Champion and has been working with insurance company Norwich Union to promote sport to girls and nurture young female athletes."

(Via Get girls off sofa and into sport | Dame Kelly Holmes | The Sun |HomePage|News: .)

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| press and publicity | 16 November 2007; 10:18:15 AM |# | | Discuss |

From The Daily Telegraph Sports Letters pages.

"Sir - Sally Wainman is right when she says that Sport England have appointed a commercial director with a brief to secure partnership funding from the private sector for community sport (Letters, Nov 2). This does not signal, however, the end of public provision as we know it. In fact, making sure community sport remains affordable to all is one of our priorities.

Bringing the private sector on board to help us create better opportunities for people to take part in sport is something we need to do better. We make no apologies for looking beyond the public purse to take the benefits of sport to a wider audience.

We will continue to invest the public and Lottery money at our disposal wisely. The last month has seen a 50-metre pool open in Leeds and plans unveiled for one in Hillingdon, London - both benefiting from Sport England Lottery funding. Since 2004, there has been a net increase in the number of swimming pools in England.

Our ambition is to get two million doing more sport by 2012. It can only be delivered by a true partnership between public and private sectors. (no mention of the community, voluntary or not-for-profit sector?, Ed)

Derek Mapp

Chairman, Sport England "

(Via Daily Telegraph Letters to the Sports Editor - Telegraph: .)

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| press and publicity | 9 November 2007; 4:06:39 PM |# | | Discuss |

The letters page of the Daily Telegraph has carried responses to Kate Hoey's article about lack of pools and the Government's and local authorities' anti-obesity posturing. There seems to be a belief that the sport, the recreation and its facilities are being rapidly privatised by a 'cartel' of facility owners, governing bodies, and private companies for the benefit of fee-paying adults. [LINK]

There are letters from Sally Wainman ...

"New Labour has successfully created a climate where local councils can state quite directly that "it is not their job to provide pools" and close them without further ado: Harlech Pool is the latest victim, with Gwynedd Council stating that a "major electrical fault" (broken light bulb?) means the pool is closed indefinitely, while they review their entire sport and leisure provision." [LINK]

and Brenda Humphreys ...

"Sadly, we are now seeing a massive decline in children being given the opportunity to learn to swim due to the many closures of school pools and local authority pools. In our own championships, it is the independent schools who dominate because these schools are blessed with their own pools." [LINK]

(Via The Daily Telegraph - Letters to the Sports Editor - Telegraph: .)

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| press and publicity | 2 November 2007; 10:34:19 AM |# | | Discuss |

After you read the linked article you may want to read the Commons debate of the Foresight Review of Obesity Report and here is the report itself.

"One of the easiest and most enjoyable forms of taking exercise is swimming and yet all over the country public swimming pools are still closing down. A few are being replaced, but usually with a smaller pool, and many of the old swimming baths with two pools have ended up with just one.

Yet, according to the Government's own strategy report on sport, swimming has the third highest retention rate in terms of post-teenage activity – and thus an important recreational activity to combat obesity. So you would think that swimming in schools would be encouraged.

Yet in my own area of London, Stockwell Park School, which already has a 25 metre swimming pool, is going to be totally rebuilt with money from the Building Schools for the Future fund – minus its pool. To the surprise of the community Lambeth Council says the government guidelines don't specify a swimming pool as being necessary and there isn't enough money. Schools Minister Jim Knight in a written answer to me said that it is up to the local authority to decide whether to replace the pool."

(Via The Daily Telegraph Obesity policy can either sink or swim: .)

Go straight to the comments on her article and have your say.

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| press and publicity | 30 October 2007; 2:06:03 PM |# | | Discuss |

The Swimmers Portraits project is to help raise awareness for London Pools Campaign. The ongoing project aims to represent the wide diversity of swimmers in London & help demonstrate why it is so important to keep pools 'alive' in London.

The project is a collaboration between photographer Emma Critchley and water movement artist Sophie Lewis. Waterbabies themselves, both are passionate about exploring why people love being in water. If you wish to help support London Pools Campaign and would like to have your portrait taken for the project please email Emma or Sophie. Shoots are held in various pools throughout London on a bi-monthly basis.

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| press and publicity | 17 July 2007; 1:08:37 PM |# | | Discuss (1 response) |