More than 60,000 children across 80 swim schools took part in Belgravia Leisure’s Float to Survive with GOswim campaign in 2024, one of the largest national water safety initiatives of its kind. Now, that impact has been recognised nationally for boosting children’s water safety knowledge and confidence in open water by 20 per cent.
At the SPARK 2025 event in Sydney, the Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) Awards celebrated the success of both the Float to Survive with GOswim campaign and Stromlo Leisure Centre’s GOswim program, home to the largest learn-to-swim program in the Belgravia Leisure network with 3,800 students enrolled locally each week.
The Float to Survive with GOswim campaign, delivered in partnership with Bondi Rescue lifeguard Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins, received the Gold Award for Marketing and Communications in Victoria and was also highly commended at a national level.
Sarah Podesta, Belgravia Leisure’s Product Growth Manager for Aquatics said, “Receiving this recognition from ASSA is an incredible honour. Float to Survive is more than a program, it’s a movement to empower Australians with the skills to stay safe in and around water. We’re proud of our partnership to bring it into the GOswim program.
“This award reflects the passion and commitment of our teams at GOswim and Belgravia Leisure and we’re thrilled to see our collective efforts making a real impact in communities across the country.”
Stromlo Leisure Centre in the ACT was also recognised, receiving the Gold Award for Swim School of the Year. Stromlo is currently home to the largest GOswim program in the Belgravia Leisure network, with more than 3,800 students enrolled in weekly lessons. The achievement reflects both the dedication of the local team and the community’s commitment to building lifelong water confidence.
“We are extremely honoured to be recognised as Swim School of the Year in the ACT. This reflects our team’s dedication to teaching essential swimming skills. A huge thank you to Belgravia Leisure and our local team for always putting our community first,” said Samer Kamal, Stromlo Assistant Venue Manager.
Bernice Hay, Stromlo Venue Manager added:
“Seeing thousands of students through the doors each week was a proud milestone, “Seeing so many people coming through the doors each week to learn and build confidence in the water is something we’re incredibly proud of.
“This recognition follows a strong year for us at Stromlo. We were also very proud to win two titles at the 2025 Belgravia Leisure Awards, including Swim School of the Year and ACT Venue of the Year. We’re very proud of the incredible work of our local team, our ACT Government partners and the community that makes Stromlo what it is,” Hay concluded.
The awards at SPARK 2025 highlight the impact across Belgravia Leisure’s aquatics network from national campaigns shifting the dial on water safety knowledge, to local teams inspiring thousands of children to learn lifelong skills in the pool each week.
Together, they demonstrate how innovation, collaboration and the community can drive a safer, more confident generation of swimmers across Australia.
To learn a skill for life, visit the GOswim website.
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