New changing tables for Treloar’s

We are so happy to have raised funds for changing tables in preparation for the new fully accessible swimming pool changing rooms opening in January. We are really grateful to Morrisons Foundation, Sun Life Financial of Canada, Shanly Foundation, Greaves & Withey Foundation and Rotherwick Foundation for their generous donations.

Swimming is so popular with our students and it’s great that more students and community users will be able to swim thanks to our funders generosity in helping to redevelop the swimming pool. Apart from being able to participate in hydrotherapy, exercise and social activities, Treloar’s swimming pool encourages students to get involved in swimming as a competitive sport; taking part in the Special Schools Swimming Gala 2022 at Basingstoke Aquadrome in October is an excellent example of how important the pool is to our students.

Here’s what Treloar’s staff and students think about the new swimming pool:

Everyone loves the new pool; we can now use the whole length and spread out. This is great because it allows our physiotherapists to work with individual students whilst the rest of the class is having their lesson. Students are enjoying the new pool too and many have said how different it feels and for our more mobile students the steps are much better. The Swim Club has also reported that they like the black lines on the bottom as they are similar to the swimming gala pools they visit.

It’s nice to be out of my wheelchair. I had never been hoisted before I got to Treloar’s so it’s nice to not be sitting down all day now. I like getting out of my chair – it’s not good to be in it all day so it’s good to do other stuff.

Becky, Treloar’s Highly Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist said: “Without the use of hoists it would be impossible to get our students in and out the pool. Water is such a lovely medium to work with as our students can feel free from their chairs, and there is such a freedom of movement in the warm pool water.”

Kim Smith, Sports Coach at Treloar’s, added: “Before the renovation, we were only using part of the pool due to the depth. The deep end is now much shallower which means we can use the whole pool and everyone can stand up. Now more of the students are more confident when swimming lengths. This now means the PE and the Swim Team can work closely with the physiotherapists in the water. Previously, we had only two hoists for the five changing rooms and two poolside hoists which limited the number of students using the pool. Once the changing rooms are completed, we’ll have an additional five changing rooms with hoists tracts direct to the pool. This will mean we can take more students into the pool each session and we can also evacuate everyone much more quickly and efficiently. We use the pool for student relaxation, fun and playing, physiotherapy and the Swim Squad and the transformation has made a huge difference to the students and staff.”

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