A 72-year-old Morfa Bychan woman fears the slashing of free swimming sessions for the over-60s across the whole of Gwynedd will have a detrimental effect on the NHS.

Myra Clayton is devastated that free sessions for the over 60s will be reduced to just one hour a week.

The changes will be introduced across Gwynedd from 1 October and will see a reduction to free swimming sessions for those aged 60-plus at the county’s seven swimming pools.

The reductions will be introduced because of a 50 per cent reduction in funding, but Myra says the move is “short-sighted”.

“One hour once a week is not enough for old people to keep their muscles strong and there will be many who can’t afford to pay,” she said.

“There was an article recently about how important that is for people, and how one in three over the age of 65 will fall at least once a year.

“Think of the cost of that for ambulances, and for the NHS, which is in such a state. We don’t need more people falling.

“And there are also those who have Type 2 diabetes who are better because of exercise. That’s being taken away.”

Myra has been swimming at Glaslyn pool in Porthmadog “for a long time” and has seen alterations to the service before.

“It was free all the time but then a fee during school holidays was introduced,” she said.

“Now we’ve been given a questionnaire to see which one-hour session we would prefer.”

The session for over-60s has been scheduled for 9am-10am on Mondays at Glaslyn.

This has been confirmed by Byw’n Iach.cyf, a company controlled by the council to manage its leisure facilities.

Tywyn’s free session for the over 60s will take place on Fridays from 11am-noon, Bro Ffestiniog, Tuesdays, 11am-noon, Pwllheli, Wednesdays, 12pm-1pm and Bala, Tuesdays, 10am-11am.

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