Tonight, the Prime Minister has confirmed the news we were all dreading in England (and earlier by the First Minister of Scotland), but were sadly expecting about new lockdown measures.
As weāve all seen from the stark figures, this new strain of the virus trumps anything we might think personally or professionally, and over the next few weeks we must do everything we can to protect lives and stay safe.
But there is good news – unlike previous lock-downs, there is hope this time around with the vaccines on their way, and this should give us all real optimism for 2021 and the future.
As per my New Yearās Day statement, we do fully understand and appreciate that it is really tough for everyone at the moment, but we have to try and stay strong, and support each other for a little while longer.
As always, STA will continue to support you as best we can through these most difficult of times. For all the latest information, please also refer to our dedicated guidance page.
STA CEO
Dave Candler FCIMSPA (Ch)
Dave has been involved in teaching swimming and leisure management for over 25 years. Prior to becoming CEO of STA in 2016, he worked for ten years as the Operations, Swimming and Training Manager at one of the largest publicly run swim schools in the country, where he gained valuable, insightful front-line experience of the leisure industry. Dave also worked as an STA tutor, training many hundreds (if not thousands) of teachers, and gained multiple qualifications that support his role today at STA.
In 2021, Dave was named one of the "Top 20 Dynamic CEOs" in the UK because of the work he did to support the aquatics industry through the pandemic. This leadership also led to STA being awarded āEducation Provider of the Yearā by ukactive in 2022 and receiving āInnovation of the Yearā at the 2023 Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) Awards.
Professionally and personally, swimming is Daveās lifelong passion. In his spare time, he is a keen open water swimmer and successfully completed a Channel swim relay with Team STA. Dave has also recently been granted Chartered Manager Fellow status by CIMSPA, the professional development body for the UKās sport and physical activity sector. Chartered status is the pinnacle of professional recognition awarded by CIMSPA and is a nationally recognised hallmark of a qualified professional who has demonstrated excellence and impact in their field, backed by their qualifications, experience, and expertise.
