I WAS involved in the original committee of the Southminster School’s Swimming Pool Appeal, which was formed to provide a pool for the children at both schools in Southminster so they could be taught to swim, and when possible to open it to other local people.

The community supported our fundraising efforts, and successful bids for various grants, enabled the pool to be built and later housed in its current building (on part of the then Junior School field).

Many children and adults from the village, and surrounding areas, have benefited from using the pool to learn to swim or just for enjoyment and health improvement.

The school previously paid for the maintenance, gas, water, chemicals etc and this responsibility has presumably passed to the Academy.

Swim schools have hired the facility at various times which has gone some way to help with these costs.

Having been in place for over 25 years, it is not surprising to know that it has had to close for a period of time as health and safety issues always need to be taken seriously.

Hopefully when everything is in place, swimming will be on offer again.

Chris Shaw

Southminster