28/03/2024
Faversham Pools is one of over 300 public swimming pools across England that have received a share of £60 million from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Recovery Fund to improve their energy efficiency and keep running costs down. The fund was announced a year ago to keep local swimming pools open in the face of rising energy costs and financial pressures.
The Pools were awarded £227,500 to replace the 30-year-old Air Handling Unit which consists of heat recovery fans and variable speed fans.
Jon Lazenby the General Manager says: “This investment is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance our facility and the user experience. We have worked hard in the last few years to upgrade infrastructure whilst committing to reducing our carbon footprint and energy consumption. Recognising the need for improvements to ensure our long-term survival, we have already undertaken measures to improve our plant and equipment. However, the scale of this investment surpasses what we could have achieved independently, and we are incredibly grateful for the generous support we have received. Faversham Pools holds a special place within the community and this year we celebrate 60 years of our outdoor pool, which we couldn’t have got to without the support of our community and trusted funding partners. With the impending summer and the hope of sunshine and blue skies, the Pools with its unique outdoor offering enables swimmers to enjoy all the facilities as its looks forward to the next 60 years.”
Michael Ellsmore, Joint Chair of Faversham Pools Board of Trustees, said: “We are very pleased to have been successful in being granted this funding. It builds on our success in improving the infrastructure of the Pools, and I am also grateful to everyone involved in preparing the funding bid. Whilst the funding significantly helps us, we continue to face challenges in covering our operating costs in the face of the possibility of further funding cuts and several cost increases.”