NOW the Splash has finally re-opened, the summer holidays would seem the ideal opportunity for children to practise their swimming. This is particularly so for children who have been attending the courses which have been moved to the Malvern College pool during the closure.

Prior to previous summer holidays, the Splash has advertised the advantages of parents purchasing summer holiday passes for their children. This seems a particularly efficient method of allowing children to swim as it reduces the work for the staff at the Splash in not having to take money or provide tickets for each swim.

It also has the advantage of parents being able to send their children swimming without the need for pockets full of cash.

On Friday last we contacted the Splash to ask if summer holiday passes could be purchased for children. The answer this year was no!

On asking why, we were informed that the management had decided not to have summer holiday passes available but we could purchase a swim pass, payable by monthly direct debit, with one month paid in advance.

This was not exactly what was wanted, as pressure of school work will prevent regular visits during term time, but we were told that we could cancel the direct debit whenever we wanted.

Armed with bank account details we visited the Splash on Saturday afternoon to arrange passes for both of our daughters. On arrival there was no-one there who could deal with the direct debit forms but the receptionist said she could get someone to phone me to take the details over the phone.

We consider this is an unsafe method of setting up direct debits, which do not specify an amount and which should be signed by the account holder. We were also advised that there is a £10 per person administration fee to set up a direct debit! Apparently the reasoning behind the fee is to help recover the cost of the refurbishment.

Other businesses offer discounts for direct debit payments.

Is the Splash attempting to make it difficult for youngsters to swim at a time when there is criticism of schools for not keeping to the National Curriculum requirements for swimming?

It seems to us that, rather than encourage children to exercise, there is now a system in place which will limit their opportunities during the holidays, or is this a ploy to restrict numbers of children attending the Splash for recreational swimming?

By introducing this system of direct debit payments for passes there will be many parents, who do not have bank accounts, who will not encourage their children to swim during the holidays.

Some of these children may be those who are criticised for vandalism in the town and who need to be positively directed into activities.

MRS A PORTER, Bransford, Worcester.