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12th May 2011
DORCHESTER: Pool refurbishment project a swimming successBy Anita Harries
After 25 years, the swimming pool at Sunninghill School in Dorchester has been given a new lease of life – thanks mainly to the hard work of the school’s industrious PTFA who launched a joint venture with the school to redevelop the pool.
An extremely successful ball held at Athelhampton House raised the incredible sum of £18,000, and this sum was further topped up by a quiz night and the Christmas Fayre.
The pool now boasts a new filtration and chlorination system, a new boiler for heating the water, a new cover and a new surround.
And the aim of the school to have a swimming facility that can be used for virtually half the year is now very much a reality.
The official opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Dorchester, Councillor Leslie Phillips, and his wife Vonty, along with national and international swimming and biathlon champions from the Tornadoes Swimming Club on Portland.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Headmaster Andrew Roberts-Wray bravely, and rather impressively, dived into the pool, declaring that it was warmer in than out.
This newly refurbished pool will provide the children with even greater opportunities to learn to swim, and will be extended to all the local Dorchester Area Partnership Schools. Sunninghill also hopes to provide holiday activities based around the pool for the wider community.
As an added bonus two swimming clubs and one water polo club will be available to the children this term.
In order to get maximum use from the pool, it is very much hoped that a team of parents will come forward to be trained up as lifeguards.
Mr Roberts-Wray plans to develop Sunninghill School as a centre for the modern pentathlon in conjunction with the National Pentathlon Association, and aims to hold a biathlon event in September.
There are also plans to offer fencing and shooting if funding and qualified staff can be sourced.
However, there are still a few finishing touches to be added before the pool project is complete.
The PTFA will be selling special commemorative bricks which will form part of a permanent memorial wall beside the pool in a final effort to raise the remaining £7,000.
PTFA representative Ali Lewis said: “We all feel a tremendous sense of achievement at seeing the refurbished pool opened.
“The pupils have been amazing, and the headmaster has been behind our efforts one hundred per cent.
“And with the Olympics fast approaching, this is one way in which we at Sunninghill can enhance the opportunities available to our children.”
PICTURE: Mayor of Dorchester, Councillor Leslie Phillips, and his wife Vonty, with Sunninghill headmaster Andrew Roberts-Wray, pupils from the school, and champions from the Tornadoes Swimming Club
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