HARRY’S Hydro is due to open to users in early November.
The trustees are thrilled to be able to announce this after some 12 years of hard struggle. Final testing and monitoring of the pool is in progress at the moment.
The timetable is quickly filling up so people need to make contact NOW if they need access to the pool. Over the years a lot of local people have registered but have then moved away, changed address, sadly died or their circumstances have changed so they no longer need hydrotherapy. The trustees would love to hear from anyone who would like access to the pool and they are asked to contact the trustees – even if they have done so in the past. There may also be people who are new to the area who don’t know that a hydro pool is being built.
The facility will be used daily by the children of Critchill School, many of whom have special needs. For the remainder of the day, and in the evening and weekends, the facility will be open to anyone in the community who is in need of hydrotherapy treatment. Anyone interested in using the hydrotherapy pool should contact Helen Woodhead on 01373 474127.
The trustees are now looking for volunteers from the community who would be able to help with part-time maintenance and administrative work. Active trustees and volunteers are few in number and extra help is very much needed.
Harry’s Hydro Appeal is still in need of additional funds to ensure working capital in the first year and purchase of specialist sensory equipment. The facility is designed to be self-funding once the initial set up is completed. Further information and how to make a donation to this community project can be found on the website www.harrys-hydro.org.
Harry’s Hydro has been built by specialist pool builders Westcountry Leisure, with the timber building in ‘log cabin’ style being supplied by Norwegian Log Buildings. The pool is fitted with the latest heating and filtration equipment and there is an integral humidity and temperature control system for the building. The design principal throughout has been to make it a warm and friendly place to use, as well as providing the best technical standards.
The pool water is kept at 34C and the air temperate 28C which ensures users do not get cold when in the water. Constant monitoring of water quality will be maintained to ensure the very best hygiene standards. Trustee Peter Bennett has trained and qualified with CIMSPA (Chartered Institute of the Management of Sport & Physical Activity) and has a Pool Plant Operators Certificate. Peter is being assisted by local swimming pool specialist Steve Chalke who runs Blue Reef Pools in Frome. Steve’s assistance is proving invaluable.
The car park and landscaping works were constructed courtesy of the very generous support of local quarry company Wainwrights. They project managed the car park construction, providing much of the labour and knowhow, and they recruited a consortium of local contractors to help get the car park, access paths and fencing finished by the end of February. Support to Harry’s Hydro is also being given by the Friends of Frome Hospital for some of the specialist equipment in the building, including hoists. Frome Town Council have undertaken to ensure funding for the children from Critchill School to use Harry’s Hydro for the next few years.
