About Us
About Wirksworth Swimming Pool
In 2009, Rural Action Derbyshire (RAD) and Derbyshire Dales CVS (DDCVS) were commissioned by Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) and the Anthony Gell Foundation to write a report about the usage of Wirksworth Swimming Pool. After considering the findings of the report, DDDC commissioned RAD / DDCVS to produce a Business Plan for the pool to be run by an independent community organisation.
A stakeholder / working group was established and that group evolved in to a number of willing trustees, who formed a charitable business and took ownership of the pool in April 2012.
Wirksworth Swimming Pool today
Today the pool operates as a charity, providing opportunities for swimming and other water-based activities to the people of Wirksworth and surrounding areas, particularly for children aged 0-8, people with disabilities and older people.
Our team of eight Trustees are all local people who have a wide range of backgrounds. Many are users of the pool, either themselves or through family members, all have different skills-sets, business and/or academic backgrounds and most of all, a passion for developing our pool into a great community facility. Working with the Trustees is a dedicated Pool Manager and team of swimming instructors, reception staff and a cleaner.
Developments
Since 2012, we have been able to make considerable improvements to the pool including:
- A new reception area
- A new changing room
- A new entrance covering and buggy shelter
- An accessible toilet and shower facilities
- New windows and cladding throughout the building
- Improvement to the pool surrounds and tiling
- Replacement of all the plant and filtration equipment including a new ultra-violet water system
Since the pool is a charity and the business is run on a not for profit basis, all of these developments have been financed through fund raising, donations and bequests and by applying for grant funding.
We are incredibly grateful to all the organisations and individuals who have supported the pool over recent years, and they are recognised on a plaque in our reception area. Particularly generous donations have been received from John and Sheila Kirkland, and when regular customer Sheila passed away, we received a generous bequest. In recognition of the importance of her involvement with the pool, Trustees took the decision to rename it as The Sheila Kirkland Community Pool.