£7,000 pledged for Wem pool improvements

About 30 shares worth £6,900 have so far been bought by residents and businesses towards the £40,000 needed to build a new gym and viewing area at the centre in Wem.

The group had previously raised £95,000 towards the project, which it hopes will increase the amount of people using the pool.

The share scheme was officially launched at this year’s Wem Carnival on September 2 where the group had a table outside the pool.

Cadi Price, chairman of Wem Swimming and Lifestyle Centre Ltd, said: "We’re very pleased to say we have had 30 community shares bought by local people, pool members and businesses from £50-£4,000. We are now entering our third month for this offer.

"£6,900 has been raised and we have another £33,100 to raise. Each share holder receives a numbered A4 certificate. A great many thanks to everyone who has bought a share to date.

"A share would make an ideal Christmas or birthday present, a ‘feel good’ factor to last forever."

Application forms can be picked up at the pool reception, Wem library and town hall.

At a council meeting in December Wem Town Council agreed to allocate up to £40,000 to part-fund the gym extension.

The funding from the council will only be available for use once sufficient cash has been raised to cover the whole project.

The pool friends’ group was set up in 2006 when the former North Shropshire District Council decided there was no future in the facility and it would be closed. Since 2015, when Teme Leisure stepped back from its management, it has been running the pool.

In the summer the pool closed for two weeks for major infrastructure works, which included installing new filters and a chemical dosing unit.

In addition, the pool hall was also redecorated and a viewing panel installed.