Newton Aycliffe charity the Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) is investing £1m from reserves in a new hydrotherapy pool development.
PCP manages the Pioneering Care Centre at Cobblers Hall in the town and, after over 25 years, some areas of improvements have been identified.
People come from far and wide to access one of the only full accessible hydrotherapy pools in the North-East at the centre.
Previously offering over 17,000 appointments every year, it was well loved but ever-so-slightly tired with outdated plant equipment, which meant the odd breakdown or two.
PCP chief executive Carol Gaskarth said: “People who access hydrotherapy report significant health benefits, but we were finding it difficult to keep the pool operational with many parts obsolete.
“This led us to re-look at the Pioneering Care Centre overall, and we concluded Options, a co-produced service for adults with learning and physical disabilities, also needed more space.
“After years of planning, community fundraising and securing grants, and with post-pandemic building costs spiralling, PCP agreed to fund almost £1m from charitable reserves.
“The organisation is built on the foundation of being ‘pioneering’; we keep this in the forefront of our planning, and we recognise the value the Pioneering Care Centre brings to the community.
“This significant investment from the charity will see the number of people able to access hydrotherapy double and, with state-of-the-art facilities, upgraded jets, new changing facilities and improved accessibility throughout.
“The renovations to the hydrotherapy pool will offer clients a brand new pool – the experience will be second-to-none.
“Our Options members are incredibly excited and can’t wait to use their extended space.
“They’ve loved being involved in picking colours, the kitchen and now they’re looking at room layout, furniture and what techy kit they can squeeze in! They have so many ideas I can hardly keep up!”.
Building work is underway and we look forward to welcoming even more people to use the Pioneering Care Centre later in 2024.
• Pictured above: PCP operations manager Vicky Browning, chief executive Carol Gaskarth, site manager Jonathan Hall, project development manager Gayle Goldsmith and facilities supervisor Joe Berry.
