Aspire is delighted to announce that the swimming pool re-opened to the public on Wednesday 4^th January.  It had been closed since 28^th November 2016 to enable a complete refurbishment of the changing rooms.

The official re-opening took place on Tuesday 3^rd January, with Mary Tye, one of the donors who made the refurbishments possible, cutting the ribbon. 

The refurbishments include new:

• non-slip floor tiles
• cubicles
• accessible toilets
• showers
• toilet roll holders
• soap dispensers
• baby change tables and seats
• sinks and taps with integrated hand dryer
• track hoist
• under water hand rail to assist with rehabilitation
• LED lights

The refurbishments have been made possible thanks to a number of generous donations from customers and companies including:

• Miss Sobti, a regular swimmer at the Aspire Leisure Centre who has donated £20,000 to be used so that all our customers could benefit.
• Sue Smales, who has donated £4,000 for five new pool chairs so that more disabled customers are able to access the pool via the ramped access and to replace our worn chairs.
• Mary Tye, who has a spinal cord injury, donated £37,000 so that the swimming pool facilities could be improved for the benefit of other disabled users. 

• Dyson supplied eight unique Dyson Airblade Tap hand dryers, which will benefit the swimming pool users by allowing them to both wash and dry their hands at the sink using the latest Dyson technology.
• Vitra supplied the sinks and toilet pans.
• Calabash donated baby change units and seats and have worked with us to find an electronic solution to our sanitary bins, as well as providing new toilet roll holders, soap dispensers, air fresheners and hazardous waste bins.
• Interfix was the main contractor overseeing the works.
• Wealdon Rehab fitted out the hoist rooms.
• Walters carried out the lighting solution with LEDs.

Brian Carlin, Aspire CEO, says: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who has made a donation to the refurbishment of the swimming pool changing facilities.  Due to general wear and tear from regular use, this was a long overdue task that will have a big impact on our customers.  As a fully inclusive leisure centre for both disabled and non-disabled people, we strive to provide the best equipment and facilities for disabled people.  The new track hoist, automated sinks, hand dryers and bins will complement the ramped access to our 32 degree pool.”

The Aspire Leisure Centre provides not only general swimming, but also swimming lessons, including one-to-one lessons for anyone with a disability, aqua therapy, fitness classes, pool parties, over 50’s and a special dip session for older disabled people.  We are pleased to continue to support the great work of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital with their exclusive bookings, as well as other disabled groups and schools.