Nearly 5000 people across North Lanarkshire have taken the life-changing opportunity to learn to swim, thanks to a pioneering national programme making waves in water safety and inclusion. The Learn to Swim National Framework, a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water , has now supported 210,337 children and adults in Scotland to be safer in, on and around water over the past seven years. Every week, 83,777 kids and adults take part in Learn to Swim lessons in Scotland – a two per cent increase on last year’s total and including 4719 people in North Lanarkshire. The programme is delivered by 38 leisure trusts and aquatic providers in 167 pools, with eight in North Lanarkshire. Looking ahead, the Learn to Swim Framework has ambitions to reach a further 50,000 children by 2028. John Lunn, chief executive of Scottish Swimming, said: “This is an incredible milestone and testament to the commitment of our delivery partners and instructors across Scotland. “The Learn to Swim programme continues to play a vital role in helping children and adults build confidence, stay active, and most importantly, stay safer in and around water. “To reach more than 210,000 participants is a fantastic achievement.” Peter Farrer, chief operating officer at Scottish Water, added: “It’s fantastic to reach this latest milestone – we are delighted the Learn to Swim programme continues to go from strength to strength, with around 84,000 people of all ages and abilities across Scotland currently taking part in Learn to Swim lessons every week. “Everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s miles of rivers, lochs, reservoirs and shorelines safely and with confidence. “We are proud to work with Scottish Swimming and all the leisure trusts and aquatic providers across the country to create ‘Generation Swim’, a generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.” The Learn to Swim Framework developed by Scottish Swimming and delivered by partners across Scotland, ensures “consistent quality of swimming lessons through supportive and inclusive learn to swim environments which help children and adults to be confident, safer and competent swimmers”. *Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .