Swimming at Waterfield Leisure Centre in Melton Mowbray offers vital life skill to children and adults

Learning to swim is a vital life skill which every child should experience.

Swimming lessons at Waterfield Leisure Centre, in nearby Melton Mowbray help children to have fun and be active, while teaching independence and providing a sense of accomplishment.

Lessons also give youngsters the ability to get out of potentially dangerous situations, enabling them to fully enjoy trips to the seaside and leisure centre pools.

But it is not just about children. With many adults unable to swim or lacking confidence in water, a need exists for all ages to gain the crucial skills which could save their life.

The vital nature of learning to swim is underlined by The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS), which says that more than 400 lives are lost to drowning across the UK and Ireland every year.

Starting from May and through the summer, the risk of accidental drowning increases significantly, according to the charity.

With that in mind, it is beneficial to start lessons as soon as possible, in order to ensure readiness for the summer months when beach holidays and outdoor swimming become much more popular.

Everyone Active’s award-winning learn to swim programme has more than 164,000 weekly swim lesson students.

The programme offers lessons for all ages, with child classes starting at four months, right through to adult classes. All swimming teachers are Swim England level two – or equivalent – qualified.

For those who also like to get fit on dry land, Waterfield offers a state-of-the-art fitness suite with all the latest cardio and resistance equipment.

A functional area includes medicine balls and kettle bells, with fitness motivators on hand to advise and personal training also available.

In addition, group fitness classes are a fantastic way to get fit, have fun and meet new people. A range of classes are on offer, including bodypump and yoga.