Local award-winning charity Sport Aberdeen is ecstatic to find out it has been shortlisted in the ‘Learn to Swim Provider of the Year’ category of the Scottish Swimming Awards 2023.

The charity takes great pride in offering its widely acclaimed learn to swim programme across the city, providing a progressive pathway from school-aged tuition up to club ready level.  

An impressive 95% of customers who took part in a recent survey said they would recommend Sport Aberdeen’s Learn to Swim programme.   

Dianne Breen, Programme & Membership Services Manager, said: “We are delighted to be a finalist in this year’s Scottish Swimming Awards in the ‘Learn to Swim Provider of the Year’ category.

“We are passionate about delivering an excellent aquatics programme in a welcoming, fun and inclusive environment, providing a clear pathway and progression for swimmers.

“To have this recognised by being a finalist is so rewarding, and we look forward to celebrating with everyone at the ceremony in Glasgow in September.”

Sport Aberdeen’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion had led to programme expansion, with an additional support needs swimming pathway on offer which experienced a 90% increase in attendees since 2022. 

A recent customer said: “I have been blown away with how supportive the team are at Aquatics Aberdeen.

“They have been accommodating to my sons’ needs and supported his learning brilliantly. I want to mention Angela, who I cannot thank enough for helping get my son from being overwhelmed and frightened of going into the water, to jumping in with sheer delight! His teacher Holly and her helpers are so attentive and calm with him. They are wonderful.”

Partnership working and building relationships forms an integral part of Sport Aberdeen’s programming – it worked with the NHS to develop a Water Wellbeing programme, with outreach NHS sessions offered as part of a hydrotherapy referral pathway.

Amputee water familiarisation referral sessions were also introduced to encourage water confidence, led by the NHS and supported by Sport Aberdeen teachers to help amputees gain confidence in water.    

Another example is Sport Aberdeen’s partnership agreement with GoodBoost, developed to deliver water-based aqua rehabilitation sessions to customers with muscular-skeletal conditions. This started in 2023 and Sport Aberdeen is the only provider in Scotland delivering these classes.

Sport Aberdeen looks forward to celebrating with other members of the aquatics community at the awards ceremony on Saturday 23 September at The Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.