PM backs our swim campaign (From Dorset Echo)

Boost from No 10 as petition reaches 1,000 signatures

11:49am Monday 23rd March 2009 in Campaigns By Harry Hogger

Echo reporter Harry Hogger, Norah Riley- Smith, Gordon Brown and Jim Knight

FREE swimming campaigner Norah Riley-Smith has taken her campaign to the very top.

The Age Concern trustee and volunteer was invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street to discuss her campaign for free swimming for under-16s and over-60s in Weymouth and Portland with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

And Mrs Riley-Smith, who is trying to force Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to rethink its decision to reject the free swimming scheme in a campaign backed by the Dorset Echo, received the premier’s support during a positive meeting.

The success came as the number of people signing a petition launched by Nora hit 1,000.

At the reception organised by South Dorset MP Jim Knight at Downing Street, Mr Brown said that as well as offering physical benefits swimming also had social benefits that would be increased if free swimming was on offer. He said getting more people in the water would be ‘a great plus for the community’.

Mr Brown said that the free swimming was a Government initiative but it was up to each local authority to decide whether to take it up.

“We made it possible for the councils to do it and it’s up to the councils to make the decision.”

The Prime Minister said he had fond memories of the resort and recalled his last trip to the area, in the summer of 2007, when he had been forced to cut short his holiday following the foot and mouth outbreak.

He said: “Weymouth is a great place and there are a lot of people who want to go swimming in Weymouth.”

Mr Brown praised Mrs Riley-Smith for her efforts and thanked her for making the trip up to London to see him.

Mrs Riley-Smith said she was grateful to everyone who had signed the petition so far and said the meeting had motivated her to continue her efforts.

She added: “I enjoyed the day immensely, to have the support of MP Jim Knight and it was a privilege to meet the Prime Minister.

“It was a wonderful experience, Mr Brown was very supportive and seemed genuinely interested.

“It has spurred me on to continue with enthusiasm.”

Mr Knight said: “Having found resources across Government to enable local authorities to offer free swimming, if there are councils that reject the money Mr Brown is obviously concerned to hear from representatives of pensioners in the area as to what the effects will be.

“Norah put her case very strongly as to why the council should reverse its decision and, like everybody else, Mr Brown was perplexed as to how the council can justify it.”