Pool is going swimmingly
Wednesday July 15, 2009
SWIM FOR IT: The day ground was broken at Jack Tizard. Pictured is headteacher Cathy Welsh with pupils Abdul Aidarus and Tyrone Noel
Health bosses have this week welcomed the building of a new hydrotherapy pool in the borough.
Jeff Zitron, chairman of NHS Hammersmith and Fulham, the borough’s Primary Care Trust, spoke about the benefits the new state-of-the-art facility at Jack Tizard Primary School will bring to local disabled children.
He said: “Jack Tizard is an outstanding school which really needs an on-site pool to enrich the lives of its pupils. NHS Hammersmith and Fulham is delighted, with the council, to be able to invest over a million pounds in making this happen.
“We hope the hydrotherapy pool will make a vast difference to disabled children and their families throughout the borough.”
Work has been going well over the past few weeks at the school on South Africa Road in Shepherds Bush, with the pool still on track to open in January.
The PCT is spending £600,000 towards the £1.2m facility, with the other half of the money coming from Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Disabled pupils from any school in Hammersmith & Fulham will be able to enjoy the new facility, as well as disabled children who live in the borough.
Children and young people who find it difficult to use a main swimming pool will be able to enjoy spending some leisure time there and it will also be used for therapy sessions, including physio.
The pool is the first and only one of its kind currently available in the borough.
Head teacher Cathy Welsh said: “We are all very excited by the development of a hydrotherapy pool at Jack Tizard. Having a hydrotherapy pool on site will give our pupils a much wider range of learning opportunities and experiences through which they can develop their intellectual, social and physical skills.
“It is wonderful to see the interest our pupils are showing in this project already – it is a positive indication of the pleasure and fun a hydrotherapy pool will bring to our pupils.”
Councillor Antony Lillis, H&F cabinet member, said: “This is a fantastic new asset to the borough and to so many children and young people who, up until now, may not have had the chance to enjoy swimming in such an environment.
“The pool is going to be great for pupils with special educational needs who will no doubt have lots of fun while they learn.”
