Updates for swimming over the Summer holidays

BJSC will be continuing to swim on Friday evenings at Tooting Leisure Centre throughout July and August. So please come along!

We remind swimmers that they should not be bringing glass water bottles onto the poolside. Please only bring plastic water bottles to training sessions.

The club is asking all swimmers and those sitting in the gallery to continue to wear face masks when attending Tooting Leisure Centre. Swimmers may use the showers and the separate male and female changing facilities, but should arrive ready to swim and change on the poolside as previously.

Return to swimming: 4th June 2021

BJSC will be starting swimming sessions again on the 4th of June 2021. Sessions will run under the same regime as previously.

We may be able to increase capacity, but please do not attend sessions without being invited to do so.

Tooting pool closed for maintenance

Although Covid-19 restrictions are being eased to allow pools to open from the 12th of April, Tooting Leisure Centre’s pool will remain closed for “essential maintenance”.

We do not have a date for returning to swimming, but will contact members as the situtation develops.

Swimming sessions suspended

Due to the changes introduced by London’s inclusion in Tier 4 restrictions, the club will not be returning to swimming on the 8th of January as previously notified. As these restrictions are open-ended, and may yet be increased in their severity, we do not have a date for sessions to restart.

As soon as we have any further information the club will contact members.

Last swim session for 2020 – 11th December

This Friday, 11th December, will be the last swim night for 2020. We are unable to have the pool unless one of the coaches is there and, unfortunately, none of the coaches are available on Friday, 18th December (which would normally have been our “fun” night – which wouldn’t have been much fun anyway as we are not able to have everyone in the pool at the same time due to social distancing. Nor are we able to use any of the pool equipment that we usually have).

For those who do attend this Friday, please be advised that the car parking machine is now in operation and you should enter the registration number of your car. There are wipes beside the machine and hand sanitisers at the entrance and elsewhere in the centre. Please be advised that if you have already completed the health check/returning to swimming declaration, then you do not need to do so again. However, you will still need to stay away from swimming if anyone in your household has symptoms or is otherwise isolating.

We will return, as usual, on the second Friday of 2021, 8th January.

We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – stay safe everyone!

Returning to swimming, 4th of December

The club has received confirmation from Tooting Leisure Centre that we can return to swimming on Friday, 4th December and get in a couple of swims before Christmas. The session times will be as before at the moment, so please attend at the time you were swimming prior to the recent lockdown, ie the 20:00 or 20:50 session.

As not everyone celebrates Christmas, the leisure centre will be closed on Christmas Day (Friday, 25th December 2020) and New Years Day (Friday, 1st January 2021), so there will be no swimming sessions on these days.

If anyone still has not returned in the health check survey and returning to training declaration, please ensure you download, print and complete them, and bring them with you to the next session. Entry and exit to the leisure centre will be as before. Please remember that both parents and swimmers will need to wear a face covering upon entering the leisure centre, and if you are sitting in the gallery, where social distancing must be maintained, your face covering must remain on, covering both mouth and nose. Also, as before, do not bring anyone with you “to watch”, as it is still a requirement that only one person accompanies the swimmers (if necessary).

Kind regards and looking forward to seeing you all next week.

Swim England letter to Prime Minister

Swim England is asking members to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Johnson, asking the government to reconsider the closure of leisure centres and allowing swimming to continue over the next month. The organisation is also asking that members use social media and contact their MPs in order to promote this cause.

You can find more information about this campaign here:

How you can help support Swim England’s #OpenOurPools campaign

The letter will be sent to the Prime Minister at 17:00 on Tuesday 3rd November 2020, so make sure to sign it before then.

Swimming sessions suspended

The club has heard from Tooting Leisure Centre, and as was expected due to the current lockdown from Thursday, they will be closing on Wednesday evening. Therefore, there will be no Friday swimming sessions until further notice.

If you are currently attending the sessions, we will write to let you all know when we can get back and if you will be able to re-attend your current sessions (assuming the times are not changing again). Stay safe and let’s hope it is not too long before we are back again!