Swimmers in Suffolk are being given the chance to get into the pool with Olympic Champion Duncan Goodhew through the county's Big Weekend campaign.
 
Attractions, arts and sports venues are offering thousands of free places to Suffolk residents to mark the start of the four years leading up to the 2012 Olympics, known as the Cultural Olympiad. 
 
"Suffolk's Big Weekend is all about showing the residents of Suffolk that there are some wonderful things for them to enjoy right on their doorstep - and many of them are free! I am delighted that Everyday Swim are getting involved in this great initiative and to have Olympic champion Duncan Goodhew in our county is a fantastic honour", said Alex Paul, Tourism Manager of the Suffolk Tourism Partnership, who are coordinating the campaign in partnership with Suffolk County Council.

Five Suffolk pools, Newmarket, Mildenhall, Crown Pools, Sudbury and Hadleigh are giving away free swim vouchers and having special activities.  Duncan will be specifically visiting organised events at Crowns Pools, Ipswich; Kingfisher Pool in Sudbury; and Hadleigh Swimming Pool.
 
Kingfisher Pool, Sudbury, will be holding a question and answer session at 10:00am on Saturday 11 October with Duncan Goodhew, who won Gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, swimming 100m breaststroke.  It will be possible to ask Duncan about his experiences and even get some tips to improve your own swimming technique.  After that he will be in the water with a group of adults who have taken up the Everyday Swim offer to learn to swim for £10 and children who have won the chance to have a coaching session with him.
 
Duncan will be at Crown pools in Ipswich from 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon with those who have won a competition to have a swimming lesson with him. 
 
Finally, Duncan will be talking to those who are currently learning to swim at Hadleigh pool on Sunday 12 October morning from 9.30am - 11.15am.  There will be a fun session from 10:30am using the equipment from the Everyday Swim liquid trailer, which includes sea scooters, kayaks and snorkelling equipment.
 
All the pools who are taking part are giving away free swim vouchers over the weekend which can be downloaded from www.suffolksbigweekend.co.uk.   Why not take a look and get back into the pool over the big weekend.
 
Duncan's visit over the Suffolk's Big Weekend has been coordinated by Everyday Swim Suffolk and Suffolk County Council to encourage more people to swim for leisure, fitness and fun. 
 
For more information tel: Corinna Hudson, EveryDay Swim Suffolk : 0781 802 5794 or Alex Paul, Suffolk Tourism Partnership : 01473 694416