{"id":445952,"date":"2020-09-07T07:40:26","date_gmt":"2020-09-07T14:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=445952"},"modified":"2020-09-07T07:47:21","modified_gmt":"2020-09-07T14:47:21","slug":"speedo-join-forces-with-the-black-swimming-association-in-mission-to-break-down-barriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/speedo-join-forces-with-the-black-swimming-association-in-mission-to-break-down-barriers\/","title":{"rendered":"Speedo Join Forces With The Black Swimming Association In Mission To Break Down Barriers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speedo<\/strong> have joined forces with the Black Swimming Association<\/strong> (BSA) in an ongoing partnership between the two.<\/p>\n

It will see the swimwear manufacturer provide support for key forthcoming BSA projects along with providing swimwear and equipment which will be used to support organisations working with the BSA to facilitate greater participation in swimming.<\/p>\n

The two have already collaborated on the launch of\u00a0 the film ‘Blacks Can\u2019t Swim\u2019 and a social media Q&A session which highlighted the challenges and barriers faced by the black community in swimming.<\/p>\n

It is a joint mission which will help address barriers faced by black and ethnic minority communities, highlight swimming as an essential life skill and to encourage participation as well as prevent drownings.<\/p>\n

Figures released by Sport England<\/strong> show that 95% of black adults and 80% of black children in England do not swim.<\/p>\n

By comparison, 89% of white British adults and 70% of white British children between the ages of five and 16 do not swim regularly.<\/p>\n

\"alice

Alice Dearing: Photo Courtesy: Instagram alicedearingx<\/p><\/div>\n

The BSA was co-founded by\u00a0Alice Dearing<\/strong> <\/a>\u2013 who is seeking to become the first black female swimmer to represent Team GB at the Olympics in Tokyo in July 2021 \u2013 co-founded the BSA with BBC journalist and former swimmer Seren Jones,<\/strong>\u00a0Ed Accura<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 who starred in and produced the film \u2018Blacks Can\u2019t Swim\u2019 \u2013 and\u00a0Danielle Obe<\/strong>, inventor of swim scarves that protect the hair.<\/p>\n

Accura recalled his own relationship with water as a young child and pledged to encourage others in overcoming the stereotypes he used to hide behind.<\/p>\n

In a press release, he said:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSpeedo were a great help to the BSA when we launched \u2018A Film Called Blacks Can\u2019t Swim\u2019\u00a0<\/em>and as such we are delighted to partner with them on a more formal basis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stats around participation in swimming amongst the black community are truly startling and we at the BSA are incredibly passionate about raising those numbers, but also educating people on how to be safe in and near the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since I was a young boy, I hid behind the stereotypes that surround black people and swimming and used it as a way to avoid learning how to swim.<\/p>\n

“Once I took the plunge, I knew that I had to work as hard as I can to make sure that more black people learnt to swim.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n