Funding boost for Swansea watersports centre

Paul Dancey on 24/08/2012

The new 360 beach and watersports centre on Mumbles Road in Swansea, which is due for completion next month, has been awarded a grant of £25,000 by Sport Wales. The new beach front hub will be operated through a not-for-profit partnership between Swansea University and Bay Leisure, and will focus on three main beach sports and three main watersports - football, rugby, volleyball, kayaking, powerkiting and stand-up paddle boarding.

The Sport Wales grant will be used to pay for equipment including 10 sit-on-top kayaks, seven stand-up paddle boards, beach footballs and volleyballs, and floodlighting for evening and night games.

"We work closely with Bay Leisure and Swansea Council and we have been aware of the progress and potential of the project for some time," said Sport Wales senior officer Jonathan Roberts.

"The natural environment in Swansea makes it a fantastic location to develop water-based and beach sports. There are already well-established clubs for sports like sailing and rowing in the area and we think this venture will complement these.

"We are seeing an increase in people wanting to try different sports or variations of traditional sports and this development will take advantage of that trend.

"The ideas for activities and programmes for adults and children look impressive and we're sure it will prove a popular addition to the facilities available in the city."

As well aiming to get hundreds of adults and junior participants each week the hope is that a host of new leaders and instructors can be signed up. Coach education also forms part of the grant.

Kate Hannington, manager of 360 Manager Beach and Watersports said: "The funding from Sport Wales will ensure that from the day the centre opens we will be able to achieve our mission of driving inclusivity and accessibility for all through sports, physical activity and social opportunity.

"The core activity and programmes we have chosen to deliver from this autumn really offer real opportunities for people of varying abilities and situations across the community to engage with new sports for the first time or work to improve their skills."

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