Dear Sir/Madam,

The trustees of Cardigan Pool were disappointed to read the article last week in which Councillor Dai Brabrook questioned what was going on at the pool.

It was a shame that he had not come to the pool to talk to members of staff or trustees as JB Evans did recently. We would have been very happy to show him all the progress we have made and answered any questions directly.

On securing the M&S grant for solar panels, we had a number of hurdles to get over, including a specialist roof survey and an inspection from Western Power. However, we also decided to delay installation a little in order to try to use the money for match-funding an RCDF application of £160k.

Due to unforeseen circumstances we were not able to proceed with the RCDF application, which has resulted in a few months delay in the solar panels being installed. We are still well within the time frame of the M&S grant and they are due to be installed in June by local company Heatshine.

As many people will know, the pool has undergone considerable change in the last 18 months with new trustees and a new manager, Sharon Chambers at the helm. The process has not always been easy and as with any change, it is inevitable that some reorganisation occurs.

However, these changes have resulted in many positive developments such as improved cleanliness, an increase in the range of services offered, many new members (153 and counting) and some excellent volunteers.

In the near future we will be organising free weekly sessions for special needs groups, as well as free parental first aid classes. These are possible due to the considerable improvement in the financial position – we are pleased to report that revenues have really taken off in recent months.

Look out for our upcoming events – wrestling in July and more darts, medium and bingo evenings are planned!

The trustees are extremely grateful for Sharon’s hard work and dedication to the continued improvement and future prosperity of the pool. We would welcome a visit by any councillor to see for themselves the ongoing progress and improvements being made.

Lastly, we must thank fundraisers, volunteers and members of the public again for their continued support and as always, urge everyone to come and use the facility!

The Trustees

Cardigan Memorial Pool and Hall Trust.