THE ‘Lullaby Club ’ - a group of childminders in the Cardigan area are getting together to raise vital funds for Cardigan Swimming Pool.

The small toddler hydrotherapy pool, used by 140 babies, as well as the disabled, swim schools, clubs including schools, and for therapy use on a weekly basis has been shut for the past two weeks due to technical issues. The pool needs a new boiler and the existing boiler in the big pool, now 40 years old, also needs renewing with a final cost of over £32,000.

"It all started when we were using the upstairs lounge and said the room required a new carpet as it was a bit grubby," explained childminder Annette Davies.

Teleri Williams, also a child minder and mother of two added: "And it has all gone from there really. We were given the go ahead to raise money for a new carpet, and now seeing as the hydrotherapy pool isn’t in working order, we have decided to raise money to ensure the pool stays open. I’m not saying the pool will shut with all of the financial cuts, but we’ve been told by the Pool Manager that the authority has cut community grants from April by £10,000.00 - imagine if it did! Where would we go? Crymych or Newcastle Emlyn, and that is a fair trek."

Cardigan Swimming Pool Manager, Lloyd Davies is delighted that people living in the area are supporting the pool financially as is it is a public owned resource, opened in 1977 to commemorate local soldiers who died in both World Wars.

"The plan is to install two new boilers, working in line, so if there is an issue with one, the other will keep working until the other boiler is sorted. One is 40 years old and has been in use since the pool first opened. The toddler pool has a boiler independent of the main one, this will be the fourth boiler that has broken down since 1987 and we are taking interim measures to try and get the pool heated again," explained Lloyd.

He added: "This last breakdown, the heat exchanger cracked and had to be taken out.. It really isn’t viable like this. New boilers are of course far more efficient, better on emissions, and should cut down on our utility costs, which are substantial at the moment. The toddler pool is a vital recourse to the trust as it is heavily used by a considerable amount of people, and is inundated during the tourist season. It’s so popular with babies and toddlers - this is the only toddler therapy pool in the area, so we try and keep the pool a lot warmer than the main pool, and they love it."

Annette and other childminders have already organised a disco to be held at the end of May in the swimming pool hall, with the disco donated by Nick Bolton. There will be a raffle, face painting and a tuck shop.

"Both pools have a lot of use, and there are lessons going on in the evenings and at the weekends. My children Ela and Griff use the pool at least twice a week and we can’t be without it," concluded Teleri.