Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, Catherine West, the Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for swimming, has urged people planning to head for an open water swim this weekend, to make sure they are not putting themselves in danger.

Catherine said: “With the easing of restrictions on outdoor exercise activities, we know that many people will take the opportunity to head for a swim over the bank holiday weekend at open water locations across the country, particularly whilst pools remain closed.

Open water swimming is a fantastic way to be active with many benefits, but it is important that people take the appropriate steps to reduce the risk of something going wrong. I would urge anyone thinking of going swimming this weekend, or beyond, to make sure they check out the advice produced by Swim England, the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) and British Triathlon.”

The advice can be found at https://www.sh2out.org/documents/covid-19/SH2OUT%20-%20COVID-19%20Guidance%20-%20Final%20Swimmer.pdf and includes information on:

Where to swim and accredited venues

Six key steps to consider before going on an open water swim at unsupervised locations

Assessing risk due to weather conditions and water temperature

Advice on wetsuits and equipment

Course planning and the safe entry and exit of the water

Plus, recovery and nutrition.

Jane Nickerson, Swim England Chief Executive, added: “It’s imperative even the most seasoned open water swimmers read through this advice and follows it carefully to ensure they can enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings safely.”