YOUNGSTERS are being urged to get back in the swim of things across Chester, Wirral and Flintshire.

After 12 months of closures and disruptions, many local children have missed out on so much learning and development, including being in the water. As swimming lessons restart and more of us are booking holidays or even staycations, getting children back in the water safely has never been more important.

Baby and child swim school Puddle Ducks has been pleased to welcome customers back to the pool, and has seen a huge surge in demand for their lessons since pools reopened.

The school's lessons are experiencing huge customer levels, as families want to make up for lost time in the pool and realise the importance of swimming skills.

Recent reports from Swim England show that over the past year, up to 240,000 children have missed out on learning how to swim 25 metres, a requirement of the national curriculum. This has had a clear impact, with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) announcing an increase in the number of water-related fatalities in the last 12 months.

Jay Nash, owner of Puddle Ducks Chester, Wirral and North Wales, said: “We are so excited to be back in the pool. Missing out on nearly a year of lessons has definitely had an impact on our children, and they have missed having fun in the water.

"Our lessons are child-led so we develop the children’s swimming skills based on what they’re comfortable doing, which is a great way to ease them back into the water and rebuild their confidence.

“Our swimmers are taught personal survival skills from a very young age, helping them to stay safe in the water. Skills like these are so important, especially as we return to holidays with pools or even outdoors in the UK as we head into the summer months; they can help parents feel at ease knowing their children know how to stay safe in the water.”

Puddle Ducks provides baby swimming classes, suitable for ‘lockdown parents’ who have missed out on so many early-month activities.

Jay added: “Many parents who had their babies during lockdown have missed out on sharing those first months with family and friends, but have also missed out on participating in many important activities including baby swimming. It is a beautiful way to bond with your baby and build their water confidence from a really young age.”

Puddle Ducks teaches children from birth to 10 years to swim independently, beautifully and confidently. With lessons across England, Wales and Scotland.

Places are still available for babies from birth and children up to 10 to develop their swimming abilities and build their water-confidence.

Lessons are held at Foxfield School Woodchurch, Holiday Inn Ellesmere Port, Hollywell Leisure Centre, Kingsmead School Hoylake, Mercure Abbots Well Hotel, Chester, Stanley School in Pensby, The Oriel County Hotel and Spa, and The Queen's School in Chester.