THAMESDOWN HYDROTHERAPY POOL ASSOCIATION
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : I**o@t************************l.c*m
Mission Statement
We provide Warm water therapy to any person/persons who have a disability whether the disability permanent or temporary.
About This Cause
Our charity, based in Swindon, began in 1979 and provides a warm water pool for people of all ages with disabilities, whether the disability is physical or mental (or both) or is permanent or temporary. We are the only registered charity owned Hydrotherapy Pool in the West Country and our beneficiaries come from across the region including Wiltshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Hydrotherapy is a branch of occupational and physiotherapy that uses warm water environments to relieve the symptoms of issues including physical disability, chronic pain, arthritis and mental ill-health. The benefits include: • educed pain • Faster recovery from surgery • Re-education and encouragement of normal movement • Allows standing in those who are unable to weight-bear • Improved walking technique • Improved aerobic fitness levels • Improved balance and coordination • Increased strength of weak muscles • Increased range of movement in joints • Improved independence and function • Improved circulation • Mobilising and lengthening muscles • Improved self-confidence • Reduced anxiety and stress The number of conditions helped with hydrotherapy is huge and includes: fibromyalgia; complex regional pain syndrome; traumatic brain injury; heart failure; respiratory disease; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; ankylosing spondylitis; Rett syndrome; cerebral palsy; spina bifida; infantile spinal muscular atrophy. As the only openly accessible hydrotherapy pool in the West Country providing support for such a vast array of conditions, demand for the pool is always high. The pool is open seven days a week and measures 13.5 x 6 meters. It can accommodate 20+ users and carers at any one time. There is also a standalone hot spa bath for the more severely disabled or those who require more privacy. To ensure that all individuals are able to use the facilities a hoist system (one of the largest in the region) provides access from the changing room areas directly to the pool and associated hot spa bath. The pool has specially equipped changing rooms with hydraulic changing to assist care staff with dressing for pool users with limited mobility. A private family changing area is provided which allows for discreet changing and enables younger users to stay with family members. This is particularly beneficial for those young people that are apprehensive about using the pool for the first time. Large shower areas are provided that have enough space for users and carers to manoeuvre with relative ease when compared with other public swimming facilities. After sessions users and carers often stay to relax and socialise in our comfortable lounge area which offers a selection of drinks and snacks. As hydrotherapy is not provided by local NHS Trusts, our individual users are referred to us by their G.P, hospital consultant, or another medical professional such as a physiotherapist. We work regularly with Swindon Borough Council, over 20 community groups (mainly associated with learning/physical disabilities) and 10 schools with special needs units. These organisations bring groups to the pool supported by their own teams of carers We receive 1,600 referrals each year from various agencies including Councils, schools and community groups, as well as people referring individually through their GP or other healthcare professional. In an average week we provide therapeutic benefits for more than 700 individuals, most of whom use the pool on a regular, repeated basis. In the future, with additional funding, we may be able to increase usage of the pool by extending opening hours allowing extra-curricular activities for school pupils and enabling working-age adults to come along with their family carers who may work during the day. Our organisation is fully committed to being inclusive for diverse groups in Swindon and beyond. 9% of Swindon’s population are from minority ethnic backgrounds and we believe that a higher percentage use the pool. However, we don’t currently monitor diversity data due to lack of resource within the team. Such recording is an ambition of the organisation to be considered as finances increase. In terms of providing access for people with disabilities, 100% of our pool users are disabled (excluding carers). The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes an unincorporated charity. It is run by 4 full time staff supported by Trustees and a committee of volunteers. Four of the seven Trustees have long term disabilities, and two of Trustees have direct members of their family who also have long term disabilities. It is because of their first-hand experience of the benefits that the hydrotherapy pool provides that they voluntarily provide their support and commitment to the pool and its development. Our Manager is Neil Montgomery. Neil studies leisure at New College Swindon before embarking on a career which included 20 years at Swindon Borough Council’s Link Leisure Centre. Whilst there he worked across all leisure areas including gym, swim and lifeguarding. As part of this role Neil worked alongside disability groups to deliver accessible sessions in the centre before joining Thamesdown as Manager in 2010. We work regularly with Swindon Borough Council, over 20 community groups (mainly associated with learning/physical disabilities) and 10 schools with special needs units. These organisations bring groups to the pool supported by their own teams of carers.