Across New South Wales, drowning continues to be a serious public safety issue, with 128 lives lost in 2023/24 — a 33% increase on the 10-year average. Adults aged 25–34 and 45–54 are among those at highest risk, yet for many people in regional, multicultural, or low-income communities, swimming lessons have never been accessible.

In Bathurst, Royal Life Saving NSW is changing that. Delivered at Manning Aquatic Centre, the Adult Learn to Swim Program is fully booked this term, with 18 participants taking part in three classes over 10 weeks. The program removes common barriers such as cost, language, and cultural sensitivities, making swimming lessons welcoming and achievable for adults who may have missed out on this vital life skill as children.

For 30-year-old Maisha Adhikari, joining the program didn’t just mean learning a new skill - it meant building confidence, gaining independence, and one day chasing a dream she’s held close for years. “Firstly, I wanted to save myself from drowning, and secondly, to save others as well,” Maisha explains. But there’s more: “I want to learn to scuba dive one day.”

Why the Program Matters:

Maisha, originally from Nepal, never had the opportunity for structured lessons growing up. Like many adults from multicultural and regional communities, barriers such as access, cost, and confidence kept her from learning to swim earlier in life. While she had tried to teach herself, it proved difficult without proper guidance: “I have only tried swimming by myself, but it’s hard to teach myself the right skills.”

Now, after just one week, she’s more confident in the water and learning vital water safety and self-rescue skills that could one day save her life or someone else’s. The social connections are just as important to her: “I’ve already made friends with the other ladies in the group, so the lessons are a social gathering too.”

The program doesn’t just teach strokes and breathing techniques - it gives participants a safe, supportive space to overcome fear, learn lifesaving skills, and set new goals for the future. For Maisha, these lessons are the first step toward a dream, and a new chapter of confidence and safety around water.