JOIN THE NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR A BRAND NEW SWIMMING STROKE

Do your kids think they can do better than the backstroke and butterfly? If so, Change4Life is calling on kids up and down the country to help create a brand new swimming stroke.

The national competition will kick off Swim4Life, part of Change4Life, the lifestyle revolution launched earlier this year to help families eat well, move more and live longer.

The competition is asking kids to send their ideas, including a description of how they came up with their new stroke, a picture that inspired it and a suggested name.

Be it the dolphin, the penguin or the wriggly worm, the competition is all about getting kids moving in the water which is a great way of helping them to get their 60 active minutes every day.

Entries will simply need to be submitted to competition@swim4life.org.uk or posted to Swim4Life Competition, PO Box 2656, London, W1A 3RR. The winner will be announced by the Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham, in September, when he completes The Great North Swim 2009 in Lake Windermere.

The swimming stroke competition marks the start of Swim4Life and over the next few weeks parents will be able to download free swimming tips and advice on getting the family more active through swimming. Simply search Change4Life online for more information.

The inventor of the winning stroke will win a trip to Alton Towers Water Park for a family of six (two adults and four children) including travel, overnight accommodation, entrance to the park and spending money.

The competition will be judged by a panel of experts including Jon Glenn from ASA*, Ian Armiger, Director of Swimming at Loughborough University, and a Change4Life representative.

 “Asking children to invent a new stroke is a great idea, one that’ll get them more active in the water and using their imaginations. Swimming is a brilliant way for people of all ages to get moving, and thinking of a new stroke should be a perfect excuse to get to the pool this summer.” Comments Ian Armiger of Loughborough University.

The ASA says: "The Swim4Life competition is a great way to encourage more children to take up swimming and keep active. Swimming has been proven to enrich the lives of people whether it is through relaxed recreation or serious competition, and it also helps tackle obesity and reduces the likely hood of ill health. We'd love to see as many fun and clever strokes submitted as possible!"

For further information on Swim4Life, please search Change4Life online. Deadline for swimming stroke entries is 17th August.