Somerset Council have picked up a sizeable fund from Phase One of the Swimming Pool Support Fund from Sport England.

A total of £211,208 will be divided across five swimming pool facilities within Somerset, including Frome Leisure Centre, Shepton Mallet Lido, Wells Leisure Centre, Brean Splash and Burnham-on-Sea Swim and Sports Academy. 

The funding is aimed at helping swimming pool operators due to the increased costs of utility bills and swimming pool chemicals.

Altogether 196 publicly owned Leisure facilities from 103 authorities in England will share a fee of £20.3m
 
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts said: "We are delighted to have received funding from Phase One of the Swimming Pool Support Fund.

"These funds will provide welcome support to the operators of these five sites at what is a financially challenging time for swimming pool operators and will support them to continue to provide public swimming, positively contributing to residents’ health and wellbeing as well as providing a place for local school children to learn to swim."

Somerset Council have submitted an application to Phase Two of the Swimming Pool Support Fund, which will provide grant funding for capital investments to help swimming pools become more energy efficient and will find out the outcome in the new year 

Find out more about the Support fund at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nearly-200-leisure-centres-supported-by-swimming pool-support-fund.