Emergency Appeal

Thamesdown hydrotherapy Pool

thamesdown hydrotherapy pool website

Fashion Show at the Winners Lounge, The County Ground Thursday 26th April tickets £4-00 each available from the Pool

Registered Charity Number: 267687

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Lazy days!

Enjoy the atmosphere!

New extension for all to benefit from

Hydrotherapy

relaxing!

Plenty of free parking

Relax in the Jucuzzi!

Easy Access for all

Well equipped changing rooms

Emergency Ventilation Appeal

Emergency Ventilation Appeal (EVA)

September 1^st 2011 marks the launch of the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool Association’s Emergency Ventilation Appeal to raise £135,000

The Appeal is to raise funds to upgrade/replace both the existing ventilation systems. The original system, now 30 years old, is unable to operate at full capacity allowing hot moist air from the pool area to circulate through into the new changing room area. This area has its own ventilation system but was not designed to handle the additional moist air from the pool. In addition to extremely high temperatures (up to 110F) throughout the facility this has over a period of 5/6 years caused considerable condensation damage to the changing room ceilings. In addition to replacing the ventilation systems all the ceiling areas damaged by condensation in the changing rooms have to be replaced with damp resistant materials. Re-route numerous cable runs to accommodate new suspended ceilings. Make good all damage to decor. The work will be split into three phases to ensure that any loss of user pool time is kept to a minimum.

Phase One: Remove old machinery from plant room. Replace original ventilation system to the pool area and increase ventilation duct layout on both side of the pool. Re-site pool area lighting away from new air duct configuration.

Phase Two: Remove all ceilings damaged by condensation in the changing rooms and fit external roof/wall vents in these areas. Make good all water damage and fit new suspended ceilings. Re-route cable runs as necessary.

Phase Three: Upgrade changing room areas ventilation system. Make good all damaged decor throughout the facility.

Phase 2 and 3 can not start until phase one is completed.

Donations

Donations for the Appeal can paid directly to the Hydrotherapy Pool.

Cheques made payable to the ‘Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool Association’.

To any branch of HSBC Bank using Sort Code 40-43-35 A/c No.41525247.

Cheques made payable to ‘THPA EVA’.

We are also on Virgin Money Giving. You can just donate or if you our participating in a sponsored event you can make your own giving page through there website (when on the site enter our name and then follow instructions) If you choose to donate this way please inform us via email at info@thamesdownhydrotherapypool.com so we can log it on here.

Don’t forget if you pay income tax please complete a ‘Gift Aid’ form that are available at the Pool.

Donations to date – Running Total £10,891.11

£18 Mrs Platt

£98.00 Mrs Baker – Jam making

£100.00 Miss McNamara

£300.00 Mrs Morrison – Fete stall

£55.00 Individual Pool Users

£5000 Friends of THP

£57 Mr James Woolford - Jam making

£50 Mrs C Brown

£1000 Tony Long Trust

£40 Peter Jones

£20 Mrs McCubbin

£24 Mr Lorusso (chutney)

£250 Amicus Union/Unite Union

£10 Beechcroft Thursday club

£20 Swindon Allotments &Leisure Gardens Asso

£50 The Methodist Church Stratton

£40 Mr Dommett

£20 Mr and Mrs Godfrey

£100 Miss McNamara

£50 Mrs Aisbitt

£25 Christine Latimer

£1,000 Mrs Ashley

£50 Upper Stratton W.I.

£50 Mr Bray (Deputy Mayor)

£18 Jan Platt

£181.62 Mrs Montgomery - Xmas fate Stall

£60 Eileen Sealey

£ 30 Helen Jones

£200 Mr Hampshire -Card selling

£477.20 In Memory of John Oldroyd.

£67.29 Broad Hinton School

£100 Mrs C Cole.

£100 Mrs Hodgson

£50 Mr &Mrs Clifton

£20 Mrs Leaky

£150 Carol McNamara

£1000 Anonymous

A MESSAGE FROM

LORD JOEL JOFFE OF LIDDINGTON

Little did I realise on 3 July 1979 when I officially opened The Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, what an important part this Pool would play in the lives of so many, both in Swindon and the surrounding districts. Since that opening an incredible 750,000 pool sessions have been provided and countless thousands of our community have benefited from it.

The Pool is unique in that it is the only one of its kind in the UK owned and managed by a Charity. It has been built and operated through the drive and enthusiasm of a dedicated band of volunteers and has been very fortunate to have a committed and caring staff team so superbly led by its manager, Paul Charlwood.

During the twenty five years since the Pool’s opening, the Pool Association have continued to improve its facilities and services on an on-going basis to such an extent that it must now be one of the best equipped Hydrotherapy Pools in the country. When I was privileged to open the latest extensions to the Pool in 2002, I was impressed to see the new purpose built changing areas, a new movement system and adjustable beds and new equipment that added another dimension to the services on offer.

The development of this Pool and the friendly and professional way in which it is run, must be one of Swindon’ s finest examples of a community initiative which owes its success to team work and partnership of the staff, the Committee, the Trustees, “Friends” of the Pool, volunteers, supporters, statutory bodies and the local business community. I do not doubt that they will ensure that it continues to serve the community of Swindon for the next twenty five years and beyond.

Joel Joffe March 2004

TALES FROM THE TREASURER

"Never heard of the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool. What do they do?"

I cannot remember my exact words, but when asked to become Treasurer in 1988 I knew nothing about the pool or the people that they helped. Since that time I have witnessed all the fantastic work all the staff and volunteers contribute towards making the pool a great success.

I believe the majority of the local community; do not know that we exist as a charity or of the great work undertaken at the pool. Of the people who are aware of the pool I believe they think that the pool is a council facility, but they couldn’t be further from the truth!

The Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool is a registered charity and a privately run pool for the disabled. The idea for the pool was first conceived in the late 1960’s and in those early days the founders of the pool could not of imagined that now we accommodate 29 adult groups, 15 schools with special needs units and over 35,000 referral sessions per annum. For a quarter of a century the pool has provided thermal water therapy for the local disabled community, not bad for a group volunteers, whose only wish is to see the continued success of the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool.

As a private charity we endeavour to be self-sufficient and every year we as a charity, through the help and enthusiasm of friends and users, raise in excess of £25,000 to assist with the running costs. This year is a special year and what better way to celebrate than to ensure the future success of this unique hydrotherapy pool facility. We aim to raise our awareness throughout the community and celebrate by raising as much money as possible, to ensure the financial stability of the charity is strong now and in the years ahead. We would like as many people as possible to join in our celebrations.

Fact

The youngest pool user recorded was 12 weeks old. The most senior 95 years young!

Some Statistics

Finances: Fact

The Pool currently has to raise around £100,000 to cover its annual running costs. This comes from admission fees, grants and donations; these usually leave about £25,000 every year to be found from other sources in order to meet our commitments.

Finances: Fact

We are not funded from either central or local government sources.

Numbers

Since the pool opened over 750,000 uses of the pool have been recorded.

Ownership!

Fact

The pool has been a Registered Charity since 1974 and run by its Trustees and committee of unpaid volunteers.

Fiction

We are not part of (and never have been) the old Thamesdown Borough Council, the current Swindon Borough Council or any other local authority.

Address

Fact

The Hydrotherapy Pool can be found in Jefferies Avenue just off Cricklade Road.

Fiction

Not at Milton Road Baths, The Oasis nor any other recreational facility in Swindon.

A Last Word From The Chairman

I feel proud and privileged to have been associated with the Hydrotherapy pool’s achievements over the last quarter of a century. I was one of those “like minded people” who sat down in the mid 1960’s to discuss the possibilities of having such a facility in Swindon and have since been a committee member, trustee and now Chairman of the Association.

Our achievements have been two fold. Firstly in providing a facility that has brought relief and joy to numerous people especially to the many handicapped children that use the pool. It is a great testimony to the ability of thermal water therapy to see the pleasure it brings when people enter the water for the first time. Secondly is our will to survive. It does not come cheap to run and maintain a facility of these proportions, but doggedly every year we have been able to raise the money to keep the pool in good stead. This I should add could not have been achieved without the assistance and support of our many users and friends.

I sincerely hope that with your help the Hydrotherapy Pool will be as successful for the next twenty-five years.

Peter Jones

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