saveladywellpool.com

Join the Swimathon! 23-26 March 2006 at your local pool

Duncan Goodhew said: “I’m thrilled to be celebrating Swimathon’s 20th anniversary this year, and very excited that 25,000 people will be joining in the celebrations, by swimming at 500 pools across the UK. Enter now and choose to swim any distance from a few laps to 5,000 metres. Whether entering individually or as a team, there’s a challenge to suit you, your family and your friends!”

Eighty per cent of all money raised by Swimathon 2006 will go directly to NCH, the children’s charity. NCH believes in the unique potential of every child. As well as being a registered adoption and fostering agency, they support some of the most vulnerable children in the UK including young carers and those affected by poverty and disability.

Ladywell Pool is one of the 500 pools involved in this year's Swimathon.
It's for a good cause and entries for bidding Save Ladywell Pool Team members are open.

But, as CBBC reveals, many children across Britain will not be able to do their bits:

"Many children aren't learning to swim because too many pools are being closed down according to campaigners behind this year's big Swimathon.

This year is the 20th Swimathon with 25 thousand people hitting their local swimming pools for the charity NCH.

But according to organisers one in five 11 year olds would be unable to take part as they never learned to swim.

They want the government to spend more money on public swimming pools so that every child has somewhere to practise."

CBBC wants to hear from children about their local pool. ...read more...

Pool re-opened after a day of closure

Yesterday the day started with a news that sent a shiver down our spines.The pool closed for problems with the roof.

The other time we heard that news it was in September 2002 and as a result the pool then stayed closed that for 20 months, so no wonder we became immediately very concerned.

Then we went down to the pool, spoke with the staff and the workers repairing the roof and felt immediately better.

This time it was only some rain water that leaked under the roof insulation and filled the membrane that covers the ceiling making it bow under the weight of the water on one spot above the the learner pool.

Not really a big deal. The pool was re-opened in the afternoon.

In the picture on the right you can see the part of the ceiling affected as it was visible through a window from the car park. In the other the workers repairing the fault.

Still, with the very expensive roof and ceiling repair (£ 1.2 million) done during the recent 20 months closure this shouldn't really have happened. ...read more...

Half price summer swimming

Lewisham Council - Half price summer swimming for under 16s: "Lewisham Council in partnership with Parkwood Leisure are offering half price swimming for under 16s at the Bridge, Forest Hill, Ladywell and Wavelengths leisure centres from Monday July 18 to September 4 at various times." ...read more...

Do they have to do this?

Finally Lewisham Council has provided hairdryers for the changing rooms of the Ladywell Leisure Centre.
They weren't part of the £1,89M refurbishment.

And evidently this common sense provision for a swimming pool is not even a health and safety measure by law.

So to achieve this trivial, basic provision, we had to resort to question the Council at the full Council meeting of the 17th November2004.

And even after this formal procedure, it took several months for Lewisham Council to finally put its words into practice.

Are we happy now?

No, we're just outraged!

We're so outraged because even in doing this, Lewisham Council had to show us all how mean and insensitive it is.

The hairdryers cost 20p to operate!

Is this the price that Lewisham Council put on everybody's health?
Let's remember that hundreds of school children use the centre for their lessons, that pregnant women go there for pre-natal classes, that old frail pensioners that struggle to make end's meet and have to look at the penny go there.

And we all pay the taxes that pay for the Councillors allowances and pension schemes.

And what do we get in return? It seems that in return we're just laughed at. ...read more...

Ladywell Leisure Centre to fight obesity in children

Obese kids will fit the bill: "Researchers are looking for 100 children to go through a 10-week exercise and nutrition programme at Ladywell Leisure Centre in Lewisham."

(Via South London Press.) ...read more...