Join me as I make a splash at Liverpool Watersports Centre!

Transcript

00:00Liverpool Water Sports Centre offers a variety of water-based activities including kayaking,

00:06stand-up paddle boarding, open water swimming, you can even hop on a swan pedalo.

00:12Of course safety is paramount if you're going to take part in any water-based activities.

00:18As you can see I've got my life jacket on here over my wetsuit and I have to put on

00:25this rather fetching soft helmet. Stunning!

00:31I've chosen to go on the aqua park where you can conquer challenging obstacles, bounce

00:36on giant inflatables and make a splash. Testing my agility and balance on the massive inflatable

00:43obstacle course was no mean feat. I really enjoyed it although I think I'll bring a mate

00:50next time.

00:51The Water Sports Centre was set up a long time ago to make it affordable for everyone

00:56in the community really. We have people who visit the city on the weekend, we do birthday

01:01parties, Stag and Hemp parties, we have local schools, local youth groups, scouts, guides,

01:07so pretty much anyone can come down and get involved.

01:10Liverpool Water Sports Centre aims to make water sports accessible for all by providing

01:14a variety of affordable activities for individuals and groups.

01:19It's just fun isn't it? I look at it like going to the park, like going to Sefton Park,

01:22there's nothing better, especially on a day like today. If you come down here, take a

01:26paddle board or a kayak out with your family or your friends, you can go through the docks,

01:30you can see all the history of the docks and the waterfront, you get fantastic views of

01:33the buildings, you know, through to the Royal Albert Dock. There's nothing better, come

01:37back and just feel a bit more refreshed and de-stressed.

01:40From the action-packed aqua park which I have just been on, to kayaking, paddle boarding

01:45and much more, there is plenty of fun to be had here at the Water Sports Centre. Everyone

01:50who takes part in activities must be water-confident and be able to swim a short distance unaided

01:57and you must be aged 8 or over. More than 17,000 people took part in an activity at

02:03the centre here last year and studies have shown how swimming and aquatic activity not

02:09only develop aerobic fitness but also contribute to physical, mental and social skills as well

02:16as wellbeing too.

02:17The centre is run by Local Solutions. The charity delivers services to support individuals,

02:23families and communities across the city region as well as North Wales.

02:28This year is the 50th anniversary of Local Solutions and we do all kinds of projects

02:32in the community, you know, on the Wairau, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, even we've got

02:36projects in North Wales and this year, because it's our 50th anniversary, we're actually

02:40giving away £50,000 to local grassroots organisations, so it's called the Community Empowerment Fund.

02:47Based in Liverpool's Queen Dock and in the shadow of the Three Graces, being down here

02:52really lets you see the city from a new perspective.