A community-led swimming pool in West Leeds has reached its crowdfunding target to buy a new disabled pool hoist.
Bramley Baths, which dates back to Edwardian times, launched a £3,250 crowdfunding appeal to help make its facilities become even more accessible to swimmers with a new hoist.
Thanks to generosity of supporters, the Baths has raised a total of £3,386 and have secured the funds to provide the state-of-the-art pool hoist, which will arrive in five weeks’ time.
The current hoist at the Baths does not cater for all disabilities and requires two members of staff to operate it, which is a further inconvenience for disabled people attempting to get into the pool.
Bramley Baths CEO Sue Stones said:
“Thank you to everyone who has supported our appeal, we have been bowled over by people’s generosity!
“Every penny really has counted. From children coming in to give us £1 of their pocket money through to donations of three and even four figures, we’re really grateful for everyone’s support.
“We’re a historic pool, but people may not realise that our general accessibility for people is good. People in wheelchairs, for example, can easily go from reception to poolside.
“The new pool hoist will make a real difference to people.”
The crowdfunder was supported by 76 supporters in 41 days. The hoist costs a total of £8,750 and the Baths received a couple of grants, including one from the National Lottery, to provide the rest of the funding.
___________________
While you’re here…
Producing your daily dose of West Leeds Dispatch comes at a cost!
There’s the hosting of the website you’re reading now, running our popular e-mail newsletter, membership of independent press regulator Impress, attending summer events, paying for equipment etc etc.
We need at least £200 a month just to break even – that’s money currently coming out of the pockets of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about what’s happening in our communities, connecting you with local groups and organisations as well as holding decision-makers to account and championing local issues.
And all that’s BEFORE we even think about paying something for people’s time – for instance, our editor puts in more than 24 hours a week in his ‘spare’ time to ensure The Dispatch publishes daily.
To put it bluntly, after nearly four years of daily publishing, we are not sustainable!
And we need YOUR help to continue …
For the cost of less than a couple of cups of coffee you can help support local community news and continue to give our communities a voice by taking out a subscription for just £4 per month (that’s just a pound a week).
As a thanks you’ll get your name on a roll of honour on our website. More importantly you will be enabling us to keep bringing you the news that matters about your neighbourhood.
Achieving a bedrock of supporters will give us a firm financial footing and help us plan for the future.
Supporting us couldn’t be easier…
Just follow this link.
or set up a standing order with your bank:
Contact us on Paywestleedsdispatch@gmail.com if you’d like to do this.
Over to you …