More local people will be able to use the swimming pool at an Ashbourne leisure centre, thanks to a new pool hoist purchased through a £10,000 grant from the Severn Trent Community Fund.

The hoist – which can assist people with limited mobility to get into and out of a swimming pool – will be installed at the Ashbourne Leisure Centre on Clifton Road. Operators, Freedom Leisure, hope that this will open up the facility to more of the local community.

Freedom Leisure is a not-for-profit organisation that manages over 100 leisure centres in England and Wales, including four in the Derbyshire Dales at Ashbourne, Matlock, Wirksworth and Bakewell.  The leisure centres offer a range of different options for users, with studios, sports halls, gyms, climbing walls, and swimming pools, which are open to the community.

Liam Pickard Healthy Communities Manager, Freedom Leisure, said: “It’s really important that all of our leisure centres are able to cater to the needs of their local communities. We know that there’s a higher than average number of older people who live around Ashbourne, so having a pool hoist to assist them in and out of the water will help to ensure it can be used by as many of the community as possible.

“We know that the demand is there and have been approached by a range of groups that work with vulnerable people and those with disabilities as well as older members of the community, so we hope that the installation of this hoist will help to get more people into the water, whether that’s for relaxation, therapy or exercise.”

Grants from the Severn Trent Community Fund are available to non-profit organisations and local charities that deliver a vital service for the benefit of local residents, especially supporting those most vulnerable, and who need urgent financial help to keep their activities and services running.

Sue Heyes, Community Fund Officer at Severn Trent, said: “This pool hoist will mean a world of difference to people around Ashbourne who may have limited mobility but would benefit from either aqua therapy, or just to help keep fit. We’re genuinely really thrilled to have been able to contribute through this grant.”

To find out more about the Severn Trent Community Fund, visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund. 

ENDS