Make a big splash in your local area with a Swimtime franchise

New research from AXA’s annual Mind Health Study reveals that the UK has recently been transformed, mainly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve become more compassionate and empathetic as a result.

This blog taps into this sentiment and explores some of the more altruistic reasons for setting up a Swimtime franchise in your local area. 

If you’re not familiar with us already, Swimtime is the largest independent swim school in the UK. We teach swimming lessons to tens of thousands every week in hundreds of pools across the UK, through a network of small family-run businesses.

Help the local community by using local pools

Swimtime helps the local community by using local pools in hotels, private residences and some national leisure brands, such as Everlast, that have branches within your region. This ensures that people in your area have plenty of opportunities to learn to swim.

Swim England’s recent Value of Swimming report estimated that swimming is generating £2.4 billion of social value, helping to boost the wellbeing of the nation. That’s something you could play a part in.

Do your bit for the local economy

By hiring individuals to work in your business, as swim teachers and admin staff, you will, of course, also be helping to boost employment levels in your local area.

The average Swimtime franchise hires 11 people. While that might not seem like a large number in the grand scheme of things, every little adds up to make a big difference, particularly in the context of a local community. Even from a national perspective, when you lump all locally-owned franchises together, you have a valuable source of steady employment, tax revenue and economic resilience.

Teach local children a life-saving skill

It’s not just about the business benefits you’ll bring to your local community. You’ll also be helping individuals and their families by passing on a skill that might one day save their lives or the life of someone around them. The importance of learning to swim is highlighted by the fact that drowning is the third highest cause of death for children in the UK.

The fact is, a significant number of children (1 in 4) currently leave primary school unable to swim competently. Swim England predicts this number could rise to three in five within two years unless swimming lessons become more accessible for UK children. Ofsted, the service responsible for inspecting and regulating schools across the UK, shares these concerns, reporting generally ‘mixed’ results in pupils’ swimming capabilities.

Provide an important focal point in the local community

Some people find it easy to make friends. For others, including many children, this can be something of a struggle. Swim lessons bring people together in a controlled environment and give them the opportunity to develop lasting friendships.

For families, swimming lessons can help to develop deeper bonds between parents or grandparents and children. Driving to the pool together, witnessing the progress being made in the lessons and then chatting over the best bits on the way home can help bring families closer together.

Increase your own job satisfaction

Of course, if you are doing good things for your local community then you’re likely to feel better about yourself as a result. Running a vital service for the neighbourhood will give you a sense of purpose and will help you get more involved in what’s going on locally if that’s what you’d like to do. 

You can begin to see how starting a new Swimtime franchise can mean so much more than just setting up a new business. But that’s not to say, you won’t enjoy significant financial rewards too.

A platform for financial success

According to The BFA and NatWest Franchise Survey of 2018, around 90% of franchisees reported trading profitably after just two years. You can compare that with approximately 50% of all independent businesses that will go bust within the same period. The odds of achieving success would certainly seem to favour franchise holders. 

Add to that the fact that franchises like Swimtime come with a ready-made support network that is available when needed. That certainly beats the feeling of loneliness and isolation that can come from setting up your own business completely from scratch.

There is one thing Swimtime franchisees have in common with all business owners. The more time energy and passion you put in, the more benefits you’re likely to get out. Emotionally as well as financially. 

If having read this blog, you’d like to find out more about setting up a Swimtime franchise in your local area, this is a good place to start.