Boy denied swim wins compensation

A boy with Down’s syndrome received £1,500 compensation for
“injury to feelings” last week after he was unable to attend
mainstream swimming lessons at his local swimming pool.

Eight-year-old Samuel Doran, who can swim a length, was unable to
use the Hoyland Leisure Centre, in Barnsley, because no staff with
the necessary training to teach disabled children were
available.

Barnsley Premier Leisure, which owns the pool, made changes to
enable him to attend after he complained to the Disability Rights
Commission.

He has already attended lessons at a pool for disabled children
owned by the same company but wanted to move to a mainstream one to
develop his swimming.

A spokesperson for the company said: “Following a process of
mediation, both parties were happy to come to a positive outcome.
We would like to reiterate that Barnsley Premier Leisure was not
found guilty of discrimination and at no point did we ever ban
Samuel from swimming lessons.”