APARTHEID SWIMS INTO THE WEST MIDLANDS

21-11-2006

The Stirrer can reveal that thousands of pounds of taxpayers cash is being spent by Wolverhampton Council running swimming lessons exclusively for Muslim women.

The hour-long sessions have been running every Thursday night since the start of November at the city's Central Baths, and are funded by the local authority, Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust and the local ABCD regeneration partnership. Additional money is being provided by Kellogg's Swim Active programme.

One local councillor condemned the spending as “inappropriate”. Malcolm Gwinnett who represents the Spring Vale ward said: “I don't think this is being targeted in the right way. We're supposed to be an integrated society.

"It's one thing to have an all-women session, that's fine. But it should be all women of whatever religion, not just one religion, and leaving everyone else out in the cold.”

Wolverhampton City Council said the aim of the scheme, “is to break down the barriers which prevent people participating to ensure everybody has the opportunity to enjoy swimming as part of a healthy balanced lifestyle.”

The segregated session is, they said, “an opportunity to swim for women and children from ethnic minority families, who may not otherwise participate in swimming activities for various cultural and religious reasons.”

Other groups would be targeted, too, they added, once the current eight week programme had ended.

TheStirreralso raised the issue of new window blinds which were recently introduced at the Baths making it impossible to view the pool from the public function/exercise room.

Insiders tell us the blinds are only used once a week, during the Muslim womens' swim, but the council insist they have not been fitted solely for this group.

The cost was £1,000 and we're it was paid for by Swim Active - although as this is the name of the overall scheme it's not clear whether it was Kellogg's or the council who coughed up.

In any event, there's no doubt that considerable sums of public money are being spent encouraging citizens to get fit while remaining entirely isolated from their fellow citizens.

That might be reflected positively in the healthcare statistics, but canit really be the sign of a healthy society?

IS IT WRONG TO SEGREGATE SWIMMERS ACCORDING TO THEIR RELIGION? LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE STIRRER MESSAGEBOARD.