World Health Day - Banbury mum and swim school owner speaks out on importance of exercise in children and young people

A Banbury mum and swim school owner has spoken out on importance of exercise in children and young people.

Tamsin Brewis has been teaching children from across Banbury to swim at pools in the region for more than 17 years.

For World Health Day, today, Thursday April 7, Tamsin has contributed to a national study, entitled ‘The Physical Health of Children and Young People.’

The study has been penned by The Children’s Alliance, an organisation for the betterment of children’s lives in the UK. Tamsin, who owns baby swim school Water Babies Bucks and Beds, feels it’s vital to make widely known the major problems with the current issue of exercise and physical health of young people. Without challenging the status quo, the paper states that “we run the risk that the next generation of UK adults will be the least healthy in living memory."

The Children’s Alliance was launched by Steve Franks, the former CEO of Water Babies, in 2018. The main goal of the initiative is to appoint a cabinet minister for Children and Young People. The campaign holds a special place in the hearts of the Children’s Alliance. The genesis of the campaign was hugely admired and adored by Steve, who sadly passed away in April of 2020. Those carrying the torch for Steve are determined to continue his legacy.

Tamsin is an expert on physical development of children in their early stages, due to her 20 years as a baby swim school instructor. Like many of her colleagues at Water Babies, Tamsin is passionate about the health, wellbeing and future security of children in her community, having raised over £24,000 pounds in her region for baby charity, Tommy’s, in the last year alone.

Tamsin highlights how children’s physical activity can aid cognitive function, mental health and bodily strength, as well as muscle development and spatial skills. She also shares her expertise on the value of exercise during pregnancy – and the long-term benefits for mum and baby.

Tamsin said: “I’ve learned so much through the alliance, but I feel there’s so much more that everyone can learn. It’s damaging that there isn’t a cabinet minister for children in place - especially with all the developments over the past few decades in understanding the importance and long-lasting impacts of a child’s experiences during the early stage of their life. I implore everyone to support not only us, but the future generations that will follow us.”

The Children’s Alliance believes their campaign to create a minister for children that will inhabit the cabinet is the only way necessary change will occur. The papers are set to keep coming and the heart of the cause to remain thumping – with Tamsin continuing to fly the flag for the positive impact the Children’s Alliance will have for generations to come.

If you would like to sign the petition and support the campaign see its website here: https://www.change.org/p/our-children-will-become-the-least-healthy-adults-in-the-uk-in-living-memory-if-action-is-not-taken-please-sign-our-children-s-alliance-petition

To read the full report or learn more about the Children’s Alliance see its website here: https://childrensalliance.org.uk/

To find out more about Water Babies see its website here: https://www.waterbabies.co.uk/

For more information on World Health Day see the World Health Organisation (WHO) website here: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2022