British Gas is launching SwimBritain with the aim of encouraging 500,000 more people to swim regularly by 2015. As part of the programme, British Gas are hosting the first-ever team relay event to get Brits back in the water. With 11 SwimBritain events taking place around the country in August and September and three different ways to get involved, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Also inspiring the country to team up and take on SwimBritain – and appearing at one of the 11 events taking place in September – are Olympians Keri-anne Payne, Hannah Miley, Steve Parry, Duncan Goodhew and Mark Foster.

British Gas has been supporting British Swimming at every level since 2009, from teaching children to swim to helping our top athletes perform on the world stage. In 2013, British Gas is encouraging everyone to get involved with the SwimBritain events taking place throughout the country in August and September.

There is a SwimBritain challenge for both adults and children, both designed for teams of four, or a solo option:

SwimBritain: a relay in 250m legs. Each team member swims four legs, 1000m in total, to reach the team goal of 4000m. Ten SwimBritain events are taking place in 50m pools around the country and there is an open water event taking place at Blenheim Palace.

Little SwimBritain: a relay in 125m legs for families and children aged between 8 and 16. Each team must include at least one adult. Each team member swims four legs, 500m total, to reach the team goal of 2000m.

SwimBritain DIY: solo swimmers can also take on the challenge by signing up to SwimBritain DIY at your local pool. Visit www.swimbritain.co.uk/signup for more details.

You don’t have to be an expert, SwimBritain will help you swim better and swim further. With quality coaching sessions, motivation and encouragemTent from Britain’s swimming stars, and online training materials to support you along the way, SwimBritain provides everything you need to reach your goal.

For all fitness levels, swimming is an ideal way to get in shape. A gentle half-hour swim burns over 200 calories and a fast front crawl as many as an 8mph run. Swimming is a safe, low-impact exercise – with the water supporting your body, you can improve your aerobic fitness without putting any strain on your joints.

But the best thing about swimming is the relaxing, refreshing and liberating feeling of being in the water – the perfect way to wind down after a day at work or at school, or to spend the day during your holidays.

British Gas SwimBritain sign-ups are open now, so get together with family and friends, form a team and go the distance.

Find out more by visiting www.swimbritain.co.uk/signup or following @BGSwimming and Facebook.com/BGSwimming.