Wales & West Utilities donates £1,000 to support Narberth community pool
A community-run swimming pool in Pembrokeshire has received a £1,000 donation to help support vital sustainability improvements and help secure the facility’s long-term future.
Swim Narberth, the charity that operates Narberth Swimming Pool, has received the donation from gas emergency and pipeline service, Wales & West Utilities which will now be used to help support the charity’s energy-efficiency and sustainability project, which aims to reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions and make the facility more resilient for the future.
The pool, which was saved from permanent closure in 2014 through community action, provides an essential service for the local community in west Wales and is now used by more than 500 children and 1,000 adults every week.
Planned improvements include replacing the building’s ageing roof, installing a modern high-efficiency air-handling system and upgrading the pool’s existing solar PV array. Together, the upgrades are expected to reduce energy use by more than 30 per cent.
Chris Walters, Chairman at Swim Narberth, said:
“As a small rural charity, support like this plays a vital role in helping us reach our £40,000 community match-funding target, which will unlock significant investment from the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme.
“We are so grateful for Wales & West Utilities support and the funding will go towards our extensive improvements at the pool, including roof replacement works and major plant efficiency upgrades to help secure the pool’s long-term future.”
Narberth Swimming Pool delivers learn-to-swim programmes, water safety education, inclusive and disability-friendly sessions, and health and wellbeing activities for people of all ages. It is also the only accessible swimming facility within a 10-mile radius, serving families, schools and community groups across the surrounding rural area.
Sophie Shorney, Engagement & Social Impact Manager at Wales & West Utilities, said:
“We are proud to support the communities in which we work and are pleased to lend a helping hand to an organisation that provides such an important service for the local community.
“We are pleased that this money will be put to good use and drive improvements that will help safeguard the future of the pool, while reducing running costs and environmental impact.”
Wales & West Utilities is the gas emergency and pipeline service, delivering energy to over 7.5 million people across Wales and the south west of England. We don’t sell gas; we transport it through an extensive underground network of more than 35,000 kilometres of pipes.