2,000 make a splash at SwimSafer Day
North West CDC's annual event promotes healthy lifestyle and water safety
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Swimmers at the Woodlands Swimming Complex yesterday, one of three public swimming pools in North West CDC where a mass swim was held simultaneously. It was the fifth time the CDC organised the annual activity with the NUS Lifeguard Corps. The CDC also started a swimming club in 2014 and it has since taught at least 1,300 residents how to swim.
PHOTO: LIN ZHAOWEI FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
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More than a year ago, Madam Lin Kim Ming, 60, took up swimming after suffering from severe back pains. And since then, the discomfort she felt that sometimes left her unable to get out of bed has not returned.
Yesterday, she joined about 2,000 others in a mass swim as part of North West SwimSafer Day 2018, to show her support and encourage others to take up the sport.
The event was held at three locations: Woodlands Swimming Complex, Yishun Swimming Complex and Choa Chu Kang Swimming Complex. It also featured live-saving demonstrations.
The annual affair aims to get residents in the area to lead healthy lifestyles and learn water safety.
Madam Lin, a retiree, had no knowledge of swimming before she signed up for classes with the North West SwimSafer Club about a year ago.
"I was scared at first because I was worried nobody would know if I sunk to the bottom of the pool. But my classmates and I looked out for each other," said the former kitchen assistant.
Not only has her health improved, she also feels more energetic and swims at least three times a week at Woodlands Swimming Complex.
"Now I have something to look forward to. I sometimes joke with my family and tell them that I'm too busy because I need to go swimming," said Madam Lin, who has two children and two grandchildren.
North West SwimSafer Day, which is into its fifth year, is an annual community bonding and healthy living event, organised by the North West Community Development Council (CDC) and National University of Singapore University Lifeguard Corps.
As part of yesterday's festivities, the host of the event, Dr Teo Ho Pin, who is Mayor of the North West District, and guest of honour Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health and adviser to the Woodlands grassroots organisations, turned up to support the swimmers.
Said Dr Teo: "Since its launch in 2014, the North West SwimSafer Club has provided a safe learning, exercising and bonding platform for at least 1,300 residents."
Last year, the club lowered its minimum age from 50 to 21 years old to encourage more adults to learn water-survival skills.
The North West CDC has been actively encouraging residents to lead an active and healthy lifestyle and learn about water safety and water survival through the North West SwimSafer Club and North West SwimSafer Day.
Besides basic swimming and water-survival skills, residents can also pick up life-saving skills through another initiative called the North West Life Saving Club.
