A LOCAL swim school has set the target of providing 200 children free lessons and hot meals over the course of the next year.

Sprint Swim Academy in Mapplewell has teamed up with three companies from the renewable heating industry to provide this charitable push.

Working alongside Sprint Renewables, the Renewables Warehouse and Vaillant, the swim school will offer eligible children from across the borough swimming lessons, a hot meal, and refreshments for both them and their parents and carers.

Louise Clarke, area manager for the academy, said: “We put this opportunity with our offer to Barnsley Council to help with the referring for those who would benefit from this.

“We didn’t want it to become something where it was only being offered to children in the area and be seen as biased in selecting people, so Barnsley Council will help to refer people through referees such as social services and health services, who most need it.”

The academy has also partnered with the Barnsley Foodbank Partnership, to help with supplying food and refreshments to those eligible.

“For every heat pump bought from Vaillant, Vaillant will make a donation to Sprint Swim Academy,” added director Lynsey Rose, of Renewables Warehouse, Sprint Renewables and Sprint Swim Academy.

“Both Sprint Renewables and Renewables Warehouse companies will then match that amount.

“If this is as successful as we hope it to be, we’d happily carry on doing this for as long as possible.”