Edinburgh Leisure has been shortlisted for the prestigious Scottish Water Learn to Swim Provider of the Year award, recognising its outstanding commitment to delivering high-quality, inclusive swimming education across the capital.

The award, part of the 2025 Scottish Swimming Awards, honours local authorities, leisure trusts, and aquatic providers who have demonstrated excellence in implementing the Learn to Swim programme. Edinburgh Leisure is shortlisted alongside Active Stirling and East Renfrewshire Culture & Leisure.

“At Edinburgh Leisure, we are proud to foster a culture where every swimmer feels welcome, supported, and inspired to progress,” said Angela McCowan, Sports Development Manager. “This culture is driven by our passionate and dedicated Learn to Swim workforce, who consistently go above and beyond to create a fun, inclusive, and engaging environment.”

Edinburgh Leisure’s Learn to Swim programme delivers the full Scottish Swimming National Framework, supporting swimmers of all ages, abilities, and aspirations. As of 2025, the programme has 7,991 participants across eight Edinburgh Leisure pools and two school pools – a 9.12% increase from the previous year, marking a return to pre-COVID capacity.

The pathway spans from Adult & Baby sessions through to Adult Learn to Swim, with tailored support for ASN swimmers through both mainstream and ASN-specific classes. The programme also includes a thriving Learn to Dive initiative with 615 participants – a 31% increase, and Artistic Swimming at Portobello Swim Centre.

Edinburgh Leisure maintains strong links with nine swimming clubs across the city, supporting smooth transitions from Learn to Swim into club environments. Their club prep class, introduced in 2022, offers swimmers from SS4 upwards a second weekly session focused on club-style training.

In 2024, Edinburgh Leisure’s swim galas returned bigger and better, with 500 children taking part in venue galas and 124 attending the Medallist Gala at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

The 2025 Scottish Swimming Awards Evening will take place on Saturday, 20th September at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow, celebrating achievements across the aquatics community – from grassroots to elite levels, and honouring athletes, coaches, volunteers, and clubs.

For more information on learning to swim with Edinburgh Leisure, visit: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/coaching-activities/swimming-for-children/