Ladies-only swimming sessions launched at Banbury's Spiceball Leisure Centre

The first of the weekly sessions is set to take place from 9pm to 10pm on Friday, July 25.

The ladies-only classes will then continue to run at the same time each week in the future.

Girls aged 14 and above are also welcome to attend the weekly swimming sessions.

They have been set up for women who feel uncomfortable swimming around men.

Some of the key campaigners behind setting up the sessions are members of the Banbury Madni Masjid Mosque.

A spokesperson for the mosque said: “Banbury mosque has campaigned for many years for this cause, and we are very pleased to have contributed to the development of this project and warmly welcome the new women-only sessions at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, which are available to all women in Banbury.

“This initiative reflects our dedication to fostering inclusive environments where women can enjoy fitness and well-being in a comfortable and private setting.

“We are especially grateful to Yasmin Kaduji and her team for their part in making this a reality. We appreciate the collaborative efforts and expect this to have a wonderful impact on our community.”

Campaigners behind the launch of the ladies' sessions are now hoping to set up sessions where mothers can bring their children in the near future.

A spokesperson for Cherwell District Council, who played a part in launching the new sessions, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer ladies-only swimming sessions at Spiceball Leisure Centre following feedback from a survey undertaken last year.

“Taking into account residents’ views on the service we offer is really important, and we are grateful for the insight received from the local community to identify this need.

“We look forward to welcoming new and existing customers to the centre to take part in these sessions.”

The prices for the sessions are now being finalised by the Spiceball ahead of the launch next month.

For more details about joining the swimming classes and other sessions at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, visit the centre’s website at: https://www.leisurecentre.com/spiceball-leisure-centre