Fundraising update:
In August, Birtley Community Pool received £272,383 from the Community Ownership Fund. This has covered 80% of the capital needed to reopen the pool, including replacing the boiler, installing new LED lighting, water slide repairs, car park resurfacing, and security upgrades. £50,000 of this helped cover operating costs from May 31st to reopening in September.
We also exceeded our £20,000 Crowdfunding goal with £10,000 from Sport England, plus over £10,000 raised by the local community. Sport England’s contribution has helped fund part of the boiler replacement.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed, either by making a donation, buying a reward or donating a reward. We now have all the funding needed to reopen Birtley Community Pool!
Recruitment update
Bailey Hooper and Michael Hume started working as our Duty Managers in early August. Six of our Leisure Attendants started on August 21st with more starting in the next two weeks.
Recruitment continued throughout August and we now have appointed another Duty Manager (part-time), and 14 Leisure Attendants, with 3 more appointments expected by opening.
We still have a few more vacancies for Leisure Attendants and anyone interested in applying can request the advert, job description and an application form by emailing – info@birtleycommunitypool.org.uk
Volunteers needed
Birtley Community Pool needs volunteers to help run the building, activities, and to raise income. Volunteers will support us with reception duties, practical tasks (like cleaning and checking equipment), and fundraising to raise community awareness.
We have three roles available:
- Practical Tasks Volunteer
- Administration & Reception Volunteer
- Fundraising Volunteer
Volunteers are key to our vision and will work alongside staff and trustees to help us provide quality aquatic activities for our local residents.
You can volunteer regularly or as much as you’re able. To get involved, contact Jackie or Yvonne at info@birtleycommunitypool.org.uk or meet them at the Birtley Library Drop-in Session on Saturday 14th September between 10:30am to 12pm.
Work at Birtley Pool
During August, we recommissioned the boilers and the pool plant, which involved heating the water up to normal temperature, restarting and testing the pool plant equipment (including the circulation pumps and the chemical dosing mechanism), and testing the water quality. The pool water quality tests were all passed so the pool is now ready to use, and the lifeguard staff have been in the water doing their training.
New signage has been installed at the front of the building. The meeting room, reception area and staff rooms have been redecorated and new flooring installed. We have also purchased new equipment for health and safety, for cleaning the pool, and to assist customers with disabilities accessing the pool. We have carried out a thorough deep clean of the pool area and changing rooms.
The inflatable course has been delivered, which is 18m long, and wide enough for two people to take on the obstacle course at the same time. Additionally, the water slide has been repaired, repainted and completely refurbished. This has improved the ride experience tremendously.
September phased reopening
We are still planning a phased reopening in September. Staff have been undergoing training and completing preopening tasks during the day. The swimming club have been using the pool in the early mornings and evenings as a pilot to ensure everything functions smoothly, as their sessions require only a small number of lifeguards. The first swimming club session took place on Monday, 2nd September, and we’ve received positive feedback from swimmers, coaches, and parents.
The pool will fully open to the public on September 16th, alongside the start of swimming lessons provided by Swim City for local schools and the public. The reopening was delayed by a week due to delays in obtaining DBS checks for staff, which are required to ensure we have sufficient lifeguards for public sessions.
Public opening hours may be limited in the weeks commencing 16th and 23rd September, as we are still waiting for DBS checks for some lifeguards. This will not impact swimming lessons, as the lifeguard requirements are different due to the presence of Swim City teachers. We will post daily updates on our website and Facebook page by 8:00 PM, confirming the public swimming hours for the next day. You can also call us at 0191 4329444 to check the schedule.
Drop-in Session
We continue to hold our monthly drop-in sessions at Birtley Library. This is your opportunity to call in and speak with some of the trustees who will be available to answer questions and listen to any ideas you may have about the pool.
You don’t need to stay for the full hour and a half, it’s fine to just drop in for a few minutes.
This month’s session is:
- Saturday 14th September, from 10:30am-12pm
Pool timetable
We have made some minor changes to the term-time pool timetable originally included in the August newsletter, and a new version is shown on the next page. The updates include adjusting the timing of the water slide and inflatables sessions on weekends so that they now run consecutively from 2 pm to 4 pm, adding a water slide-only session on Friday nights at 7 pm, and increasing the number of aquafit sessions to four per week, all held in the main pool.
After reopening, we will regularly review the timetable, listen to customer feedback, and implement further changes where beneficial to the community and to ensure the financial sustainability of Birtley Community Pool.