Rowan Boland Memorial Trust makes waves with latest initiative - helping children learn a life-saving skill
Primary school children in the Scottish Borders, who missed swimming lessons when pools were closed during the Covid pandemic, are being given another chance to learn the life-saving skill - thanks to a charity set-up in memory of a local schoolboy.
The Rowan Boland Memorial Trust is named after the sporty youngster, who died while playing at Gala Cricket Club in 2010 - aged just nine.
It has supported hundreds of local athletes in their quest to achieve their sporting goals, including Paralympic gold medallist Sammi Kinghorn, Olympic swimmer Lucy Hope and 2024 Enduro national champion mountain biker Corey Watson.Â
Now it's making waves with its latest project.
The 10-week learn to swim programme is being delivered by Scottish Borders Council's Active Schools team and is aimed at children in the TD1 postcode area.
It will allow large numbers of youngsters to receive lessons from qualified coaches during school time.
Further funding has also been pledged by local charity partners Hayward Sanderson Trust and the Glenpark Foundation, and the partnership will also provide swimming suits to any child who needs one.
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Dave Boland, chair of Rowan Boland Memorial Trust, said: “We are delighted to be leading this initiative, which we think will make a real difference for hundreds of children in the TD1 area.Â
“Not only will it provide a vital life skill, but we hope will see some of the young people take up swimming as a sport to enjoy and excel at.
"Rowan loved everything (sports wise), he was pretty brave. Although he wasn't at the time a great swimmer, he would still run and jump into the pool - just fearless! But that's not what all kids are like.
"Getting feedback from some of the schools, we became aware of an incident where a child was away on holiday and got a bit of a fright, after coming down the chute into the pool and hadn't realised it was so deep.
"So, when he came here on week one, he was terrified to get into the pool. But, by the end of it, he was kicking keen to get in every week, so it just shows what a bit of confidence - and getting into the water more often - can do for these youngsters."
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Martin Hunt, from the Hayward Sanderson Trust, said the three-year initiative is "a wonderful example of what local charities and community groups can do", while Trish Gray, of the Glenpark Foundation, added they were "thrilled" to provide additional support.
Euan Lindores, from SBC's Active Schools team, said: “Through no fault of their own, there are children in our society who just can't get into a swimming pool, whether that be because there's a waiting list or just an inability to pay for it.
"But it's a life-skill. We live in an area where we're surrounded by water and, although they might feel comfortable in a swimming pool, you get into a current in a river then you're in trouble."
And, he added: "The swimming lessons will help the participating children to learn an important skill but also enjoy themselves during the sessions."
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