Children are being encouraged to make a splash this summer as part of special swimming lessons inspired by the latest cinema blockbuster.



Blackpool Council has teamed up with Disney and the Amateur Swimming Association to provide swimming sessions based around the new animation ‘Finding Dory’.

The ‘Just Keep Moving’ sessions are set to provide an ocean of fun for youngsters aged sixteen and under, as they learn key swimming techniques tailored to make them swim like the movie’s main characters.

The pool area will be covered in colourful Disney graphics and promotions as kids learn to dive like Dory, splash like sea lions and hide like Hank in the one hour sessions which will take place throughout the summer holidays.

The sessions will take place at both Palatine Leisure Centre and Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre and can be booked online at www.blackpool.gov.uk/sport or by calling either of the two centres.

Sessions at Palatine Leisure Centre will take place between 2pm and 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while sessions will take place at Moor Park on Tuesdays and Thursday at the same times.

While children under sixteen can use the pools for free in the school holidays, they must be accompanied by a paying adult, with prices £3.80 for Blackpool adults and £2 for concessions. Prices for people living outside Blackpool are £4.30 for adults and £2.50 for concessions.

Cllr Graham Cain, Cabinet Secretary for Blackpool Council, said: “Swimming is a great way of getting children active and healthy and these special sessions will prove to be fun for all the family.

“Big films can have a massive influence on making children want to go out and do particular activities and we’re really keen to make the most of the new ‘Finding Dory’ film as a way to get people in the pool, carrying out regular exercise and learning lifesaving techniques.

“Children under sixteen can also come and swim at any time during the school holidays for free, meaning that they can become as natural a swimmer as some of the characters in the film.”

Blackpool Council is joining other local authorities across the country in providing the sessions, with a number of prizes available for regular swimmers.

The first 50,000 children across the UK that attend three sessions will receive a Finding Dory branded swimming bag from reception. All you need to do is collect a loyalty card from reception at your first session which must then be stamped on three separate occasions to qualify for the bag.

You could also win a Finding Dory prize bundle worth £250 when you upload a photo from our Photo Standee via Instagram account using #JustKeepMoving. The competition will run for six weeks from 22 July – 4 September.

10 winners will be selected every week, winning a prize bundle of £250 value of Finding Dory products.

Full terms and conditions are available on the Disney website www.disney.co.uk/justkeepmoving

Posted on Friday 15th July 2016