THE fight is on to turn around the fortunes of Cardigan Swimming Pool with the launch of a ‘Save our Swimming Pool’ campaign.

The ‘SOS’ plea has gone out from the newly-formed Friends of Cardigan Swimming Pool group which has been set up following the recent public meeting in the town that highlighted the dire financial position the pool was facing.

The group has set itself a target of raising £100,000 and intends to get the ball rolling with a sponsored walk. A 100-club is also now up-and-running and people are being encouraged to join that.

Pool trustee Sharon Griffiths said: “We hope to start with a big family fund-raising sponsored walk on May 4, starting from the pool from 10am to walk to the Wildlife Centre and back and if people want to get dressed up – in rubber rings, goggles, whatever – the more the merrier.

“Sponsorship forms are being distributed and we hope to get the whole community involved as much as possible. We are looking to run regular coffee mornings and other events and while they might not raise huge sums, every penny counts and it all adds up.”

The plan is to put a large thermometer on the wall of the pool to chart the fund-raising as it progresses, with much of the money earmarked to upgrade the plantroom.

“As well as this effort, running alongside it we have set up a grants committee as well which is working solely to access funding from outside bodies,” added Sharon.

“That takes time and a lot of work. What we need at the moment is people to make use of the pool and the facilities here and that will help keep us open. We have got to do it as if we don’t the pool will close and that would be unthinkable in a town like Cardigan.”

The public meeting held in January saw more than 100 people attend and heard that the pool spends £89,000 on wages, £18,000 on electricity, £15,000 on gas and £6,000 on water every year and was facing increasing repair bills to its dated building and equipment.