CAMDEN COMMUNITY UPDATE - AUGUST 2023
GLL SPORT FOUNDATION ATHLETE ACHIEVEMENT
14-year old GSF athlete Cillian Bramham has spent his summer competing in swimming competitions, achieving remarkable outcomes. In the British Nationals, Cillian swam a personal best in the lead-off leg of both the 100M and 200M Freestyle Relays (representing Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club). Then, in the Irish Nationals, Cillian placed 2nd in the 50M Freestyle and 3rd in the 200M Backstroke. Cillian is currently 29th in his National Ranking for Freestyle swimming. We are so proud of him and we look forward to continuing to support him on his swimming journey.
NEW ACCESSIBLE ACTIVITY GUIDE
This summer we launched our brand new Accessible Activity Guide, a comprehensive resource designed to empower and support disabled individuals in engaging with a wide range of activities in Camden Leisure Centres. The guide lists all activities that we run for people with disabilities in an easy-read format as well as membership information, centre information and a weekly timetable session which customers can fill out with their activities for the week.
We have actively collaborated with disability organisations, experts, and our own diverse community through the whole process. For example, the easy-read logos were created by GAP following consultation with current disabled customers and with local charity, Camden Disability Action. Each centre in Camden is clearly identified in the guide with address, website information and even detailed information on each transport link that is available for each centre. The guide has already been promoted at Camden’s Inclusive Festival and received positive feedback. By engaging in ongoing conversations and feedback loops, we continuously refine our offerings and ensure that we are meeting the evolving needs of our residents with disabilities.
BRAND NEW SEN CLASS AT KENTISH TOWN SPORTS CENTRE
In August we also launched a brand new SEN swimming class as part of Better Swim School. This class is the first of its kind in Camden since we implemented BSS. This fantastic programme has been specially designed to cater to the unique needs and abilities of children with special educational needs, ensuring that they can enjoy the benefits of swimming in a safe and inclusive environment. This class gives children with special educational needs the opportunity to learn a life skill, where without this dedicated class they would not be able to do so. We have had a lot of interest in this class from SEN parents and from specialist SEN school, Swiss Cottage School. We are really excited about this addition to not only the Better Swim School programme, but also to the disability programme. The disability programme lacks junior activity so the launch of this class is a welcome start!
CRASH COURSE SUCCESS AT KENTISH TOWN!
The swimming crash courses at Kentish Town sports centre this summer were an incredible success! We saw an overwhelming number of participants who not only achieved their goals but also had a fantastic time in the process. The courses were designed to cater to all skill levels, from beginners to more advanced swimmers, and our highly experienced instructors provided personalized guidance and support throughout. The feedback we received from the participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their newfound confidence and improved swimming abilities. We are thrilled to have been a part of their journey towards becoming confident swimmers, and we look forward to continuing to offer successful crash courses during the school holidays.