Free Swimming For Armed Forces & Veterans in Wales

Armed forces personnel and veterans will be able to enjoy swimming for free under a new initiative.

The free swimming initiative was announced by the Welsh Government last week as part of its Package of Support for the Armed Forces Community.

The Welsh Government is providing £100,000 to the Welsh Local Government Association to ensure all councils have a scheme in place and is the latest initiative launched as part of the Package of Support for the Armed Forces Community.

Members of the Armed Forces and Veterans will be eligible for free swimming using their Defence Privilege Card, available through the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Discount Service, at participating leisure centres.

A campaign to promote the Defence Discount Service and its Privilege Card in Wales was launched by the Minister for Public Services in November 2014. Since then there has been a significant increase in the number of people signing up to the service in Wales, rising from 9,734 members when the campaign launched to 16,666 – an increase of 71%.

Wrexham Council, along with the other 21 local authorities across Wales, will need to offer the scheme in at least one leisure centre. The scheme in Wrexham is also set to be extended to Splash Magic, with Cllr Hugh Jones tweeting yesterday: ” After discussions with Welsh Local Goveerment Association I’m delighted we can extend the Armed Forces Swimming scheme to Splash Magic.”

Welcoming the news, Lesley Griffiths AM said: “Wrexham has always had a proud military heritage and a strong association with the armed forces community.”

“I am proud the Welsh Labour Government has yet again demonstrated its support for the armed forces community and I hope serving military personnel and veterans in Wrexham utilise and benefit from the scheme.”

An Armed Forces spokesman described the scheme as ‘very pleasing and a further show of commitment from the Welsh Government towards Armed Forces personnel and veterans living in Wales’.