Hi All
Firstly please can I apologise for the length of time it has taken to write to you all. With one thing and another I just haven’t been able to keep on top of everything, so again, apologies for the delay.
I sincerely hope that you and your families are safe and well as we continue to work our way through this pandemic? I have no doubt that it has affected you all in one way or another, I just hope the effect has been minimal on you all.
During the course of lockdown and inactivity, North Lancs have continued communications with our member clubs. We have had meeting with chairs or club representatives, with each outlining the difficulties they have and continue to face. Our AGM went ahead as planned via the zoom platform and the exec meetings have continued to take place as normal.
There are many people, in most cases volunteers who have worked so hard in the background trying to ensure that their club have a future, the same people have also been actively helping others who have not been as fortunate.
The level of togetherness in North Lancs has always been the key to the Association’s strengths, but these wonderful people have brought that togetherness closer. I would like to thank all those who have been working tirelessly at their clubs and in some cases, tirelessly in helping other clubs stay alive during this most difficult time in our sport’s history.
Thank you so much.
As you will no doubt be aware after the Prime Minister’s address on Monday 22/02, we are now approaching yet another end to another lockdown, this time, in the hope we can re build our clubs, our Association, our competitions and our sport without any further disruptions or dare I say, lockdown. But nothing is certain, and certainly not during these times.
As we look forward to April 12th when, hopefully Leisure facilities will be again able to open their doors, (presuming that all is still safe to do after after step 1 of the government’s road map) we obviously look forward to seeing our swimmers return to their clubs and to resume training. I look forward in our Association being able to re commence our activities and in particular our competitions. I can tell you that when taking over the presidency in December 2019 I had no idea I may be the only president in our associations history not to be able to present swimmers with their awards at our competitions. This may still be the case as I leave office in December this year, however I am determined we can have something, at very least in the diary before my time is over.
The swimming and development committee will, in the coming weeks, be working hard to formulate some kind of competition for ALL of our associated clubs and swimmers. We are going to work closely with our friends at Micro League of the North West to try and incorporate a festival of swimming which we hope will get the athletes back on the competitive pathway.
We are also going to look closely at the possibly re introduction of Water Polo back into the Association and will be again starting discussions with the relevant water polo clubs in the coming weeks and months.
In order for us to continue doing this we will try where we can to support the education of new teachers, coaches and officials to keep the backbone of our activities as strong as possible.
Due to the announcement that the PM made on Monday evening we will do all we can to work closely with the leisure providers to ensure we can host competitions, we will do all we can to ensure the health and safety of our members, clubs and communities whenever we host an activity and will try to put processes in place in line with leisure providers risk assessments etc.
Again, apologies for the length of time it has taken to write to you, I will keep you informed through the website an your club reps of when things will start to happen, so please continue to be patient, please continue to stay safe and well and please do all you can to help and support your clubs. I truly hope to see you all at a pool in the coming months.
Thank you
Steve Heaps
President.