MEMORIES FROM TINA HUGHES I can remember when the children of Freshwater only had the swimming pool at All Saints School to use. There were other pools in the area at local holiday camps but these were restricted to use by their visitors only. It was mooted by some local people that we, the residents […]
Jan 28, 2014 | Categories: The People | Tags: First Lady, Freshwater, Isle, Isle of wight, Jean Ainsworth, Mayor, Pool, Ron Smith, Shirley, Shirley Miles, South Wight, SPLASH, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Tina Hughes, Trevor Collins, west, west wight, West Wight Middle School, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on Memories from Tina Hughes
MEMORIES FROM SHEILA YOUNG In the early days, once the pool was completed (albeit without a roof), I was one of a band of volunteers manning the ‘shed’ situated on the corner of the school field, keen to take money from potential eager swimmers. We always had a queue. The changing rooms were very temporary, […]
Jan 28, 2014 | Categories: The People | Tags: Freshwater, Isle, Isle of wight, Pool, Sheila Young, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Memories from Sheila Young
MEMORIES FROM PAM AND ARTHUR BARRETT We moved to the Island in 1973 and at that time we had no knowledge of the pool. Our first recollection is a few years after when we started to bring our grandchildren to the pool. The pool was then actually open, albeit with quite primitive dressing rooms, which […]
Jan 28, 2014 | Categories: The People | Tags: Artur Barrett, Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Pam Barrett, Pool, SPLASH, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Volunteers, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Memories from Pam and Arthur Barrett
AUCTIONS SPLASH held yearly auctions at the Memorial Hall and our first auctioneer was the late Steve Ross MP, who was a very valued supporter of our very ambitious project of building an indoor heated swimming pool here in the West Wight. These auctions were run very professionally with viewing during the morning, catalogues already […]
Jan 20, 2014 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: 1970's, auction, barbara richardson, Bill Miles, charity, charity shop, fred Joiner, Freshwater, Isle, Isle of wight, John Howe, Madge Joiner, Mark Young, Pool, Robert Young, Ron Smith, Sarah Richardson, Sheila Young, Shirley Miles, SPLASH, Stan Crowder, Sten Ross MP, Steve Ross, Steven Ross, Steven Ross MP, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Swiss Cottage, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, White Elephant, Wight | Comments Off on Auctions for West Wight Swimming Pool
The fundraising efforts of turned to the selling of slaves for a day to raise money for the West Wight Swimming Pool. Slaves dressed in togas, beads etc sold for a days labour.
Jan 20, 2014 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Freshwater, fundraising, Island, Isle, Pool, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Slave for a day
West Wight Sports Centre and Swimming Club have been awarded the ASA Swimtastic Community Project of the Year 2013. Representatives of both organisations travelled to Birmingham at the weekend where young swimmers took part in a ‘Swim with the Stars’ event and 9 representatives then attended a gala dinner at Edgbaston Stadium in the company […]
Nov 21, 2013 | Categories: The Present Day | Tags: Anne Collins, ASA, Athens Olympics, BBC Sports Personality, Beijing, BEM, Bronze medalist, commentator, Daisy Whittaker, Darren Mew, Earl Mountbatten, Edgbaston Stadium, Freshwater, Gary Richard Watson, Hayden Fennimore, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Kai Watson, Kerry Watson, London Olympics, Lord Lieutenant, Lord Louis Mountbatten, lord mountbatten, lordPatron lord Louis mountbatten, Louis Mountbatten, Nick Robinson-Baker, Olympic, Opening Ceremony, Pool, River Watson, Robbie Renwick, Sascha Kindred, Sharron Davies, Shirley Miles, Steve Parry, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Trevor Collins, TV and Radio, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on ASA Swimtastic Community Project of the Year 2013
Ellen The Swimmer I started swimming when I retired (in the 90’s). Originally my friend Sue and I went to the dancing which Rose organised. Rose asked us if we would like to come to excersisie classes which would be in the pool. Both Sue and I were not swimmers and raised our hands in […]
Mar 25, 2013 | Categories: The People | Tags: charity, Ellen Bovil, Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, mile, Pool, Shirley Miles, Sue, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Ellen Bovil The Swimmer
After 18 months of fund raising, work on the new West Wight Swimming pool was officially started on Saturday 23rd April 1977. Mr Ron Smith , chairman of both the West Wight swimming Club and the Pool trust fund, dug the first piece of soil on the site in Freshwater near the west Wight middle […]
Mar 13, 2013 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Admiral of the fleet, county press, Earl Mountbatten, Freshwater, Governor, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Lord Lieutenant, Lord Louis Mountbatten, lord mountbatten, lordPatron lord Louis mountbatten, Louis Mountbatten, Opening Ceremony, Patron, Pool, Ron Smith, Shirley Miles, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Middle School, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Pool work started at Ceremony
CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE Of all our fund raising activities, Champagne Charlie deserves a section all to itself. We have often said that the West Wight Swimming Pool was built on hot dogs and Pomagne – let me elaborate. I have already covered the fame of our hot dogs, but Pomagne was totally different. Pomagne was a […]
Mar 13, 2013 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: barbara richardson, Champagne charlie, constabulary, county show, football, Freshwater, hot dog, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, police, Pomagne, Pool, Ron Smith, Shirley Miles, sparkling wine, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Champagne Charlie
MEMORIES FROM JOYCE SHEPHERD The first time we used the swimming pool was when the police rented the pool for an evening session. We came to Yarmouth in 1970 and the pool was only a thought then, I believe. However, when we started swimming the only facilities were the pool and changing rooms. The roof […]
Feb 28, 2013 | Categories: The People | Tags: 1970, 1976, bits and bobs, Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Joyce Shepherd, Pool, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, west Wight swimming Club, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, Yarmouth | Comments Off on Memories from Joyce Shepherd
Being the only indoor heated pool on the Island and being the only swimming club here we always aimed high and to this end we arranged for David Wilkie and his coaching team to visit us for a coaching weekend. He is pictured here with Dawn and Shirley, both West Wight Swimming Club Coaches. […]
Feb 28, 2013 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: backstroke, breastroke, Christchurch, Commonwealth Games, competition, David Wilkie, Dawn, Dawn Johnson, Edinburgh, freestyle, Freshwater, gaggles, Games, Gold, Helen Pitman, individual medley, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Medal, Miami, Montreal, New Zealand, Nicola Miles, Olympian, Olympic, Olympic Games, Pool, Shirley Miles, Silver, Swam, Swim, swim cap, swimmer, swimming, swimming aids, swimming cap, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, world record | Comments Off on David Wilkie
Trevor Collins – 2005 BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Unsung Hero My family joined the WWS club in 1975 as we felt that our sons should learn to swim in a properly structured environment with ASA teachers. From the moment we joined as with all other members we were made welcome to be […]
Nov 29, 2012 | Categories: The People | Tags: 2005, county press, Freshwater, hero, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Pool, Ron Smith, special needs, Sports Personality of the Year, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Trevor Collins, Unsung hero, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on Trevor Collins – BBC Sports Personality of the Year
HOIST FOR MAIN POOL We desperately needed a hoist for those who could not use the steps to get into the pool. It was to cost more money than we could not afford. 1981 was designated the Year of the Disabled and luckily for us a lot of local organisations decided to hold events in […]
Nov 26, 2012 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Disabled, Freshwater, Hoist, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Pool, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Hoist for Main Pool
EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING OF THE FRESHWATER PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 18 MARCH 1976 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE MEMORIAL HALL FRESHWATER DEVELOPMENT OF LAND ADJACENT TO WEST WIGHT MIDDLE SCHOOL The Chairman (Captain J Riddet) explained that the reason for including this item on the Agenda was partly because […]
Nov 26, 2012 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Pool, Ron Smith, Shirley Miles, Swam, Swim, swimming, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Minutes of Parish Council meeting 18/3/76
While fund raising for the main pool had more or less been completed and we were up and running several fund raising activities were held specifically for providing a Small Pool or Learner Pool so whether we liked it or not we were committed to carry on fund raising. The money was raised, the work […]
Nov 26, 2012 | Categories: The Small Pool | Tags: dr george thomson, dr thomson, george thomson, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Lady mountbatten, Learner pool, Opening Ceremony, Pool, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on The Small Pool
THE BLACK HUT There was a black hut on the green opposite All Saints School which had been previously used by the Freshwater Scout Group. The owner, Mr Ninnis, who ran and owned the local ‘proper’ sweet shop (now the village bakery) with his wife and daughter, Betty, very kindly allowed us to use the […]
Nov 26, 2012 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Betty Ninnis, Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Mr Ninnis, Pool, SPLASH, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, The Black Hut, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on The Black Hut
Bernadette and Keith Pinkard started the Kingfishers swimming group, which was a swimming session for young people with special needs, quite a number of the young people coming over from Haylands Farm. The Special Olympics was held on the Island in 1986/1987 and the swimming events held at the Westridge Pool, Ryde. Our young people […]
Nov 26, 2012 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Freshwater, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, kingfishers, Pool, Shirley Miles, special needs, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on The Kingfishers’ Swimming Group
MEMORIES FROM SHIRLEY MILES Someone, and I forget who, came up with an April Fool joke. We decided to advertise that the pool would be turned into an ice rink from 10 – 12 noon for one day only on 1st April. We contacted the editor of the County Press who very kindly agreed to […]
Nov 19, 2012 | Categories: The People | Tags: 1st April, april fool, bits and bobs, Carol worsley, county press, Derek worsley, Earl Mountbatten, ice, ice skating, joke, lord mountbatten, lordPatron lord Louis mountbatten, Louis Mountbatten, Patron, Pool, skater, skates, skating, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, west, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on Memories from Shirley Miles – Ice Skating April Fool
The West Wight Sports Centre Health and Fitness Day is a big hit. People came to take part in fitness activities and beauty treatments. The IW Health Authority were also present giving advice the dangers of smoking and alcohol. There were also facials, manicures and pedicures on offer with advice from Cut & Run hairdressers […]
Nov 19, 2012 | Categories: The Sports Centre | Tags: aerobics, alcohol, beauty, Brenda craddock, carbon monoxide, county press, Cut & Run, Cut and Run, Fitness, Freshwater, Hairdresser, Health, Invigoration, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Isle of Wight health Authority, IW Health Authority, Karen Earle, Kerry green Trust, Lisa Noble, Manicure, massage, Pedicure, Pool, Relaxation, Ruby Piper, shiatsu head massages, smoking, Swam, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, treatment, Weight Watchers, wessex cancer trust, west, West Wight Skin Care Centre, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on West Wight Sports Centre – Health & Fitness Day
THE OPENING CEREMONY OF WEST WIGHT SWIMMING POOL – 14 JULY 1978 BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, EARL MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA, GOVERNOR AND LORD LIEUTENANT OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT Although the pool was nowhere near completed we had to go ahead with the opening ceremony. Luckily the weather was kind to us […]
Nov 19, 2012 | Categories: The Pool | Tags: Admiral of the fleet, Barry Trophy, Clare Griffin, Earl Mountbatten, Freshwater, Governor, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Lord Lieutenant, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Louis Mountbatten, Opening Ceremony, Pool, Ron Smith, Sally Pitman, Shirley Miles, Swam, Swim, swimming, West Wight Middle School, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight | Comments Off on The Opening Ceremony of West Wight Swimming Pool by Earl Mountbatten
ASA Swimtastic Community Project of the Year 2013
West Wight Sports Centre and Swimming Club have been awarded the ASA Swimtastic Community Project of the Year 2013. Representatives of both organisations travelled to Birmingham at the weekend where young swimmers took part in a ‘Swim with the Stars’ event and 9 representatives then attended a gala dinner at Edgbaston Stadium in the company […]
Nov 21, 2013 | Categories: The Present Day | Tags: Anne Collins, ASA, Athens Olympics, BBC Sports Personality, Beijing, BEM, Bronze medalist, commentator, Daisy Whittaker, Darren Mew, Earl Mountbatten, Edgbaston Stadium, Freshwater, Gary Richard Watson, Hayden Fennimore, Island, Isle, Isle of wight, Kai Watson, Kerry Watson, London Olympics, Lord Lieutenant, Lord Louis Mountbatten, lord mountbatten, lordPatron lord Louis mountbatten, Louis Mountbatten, Nick Robinson-Baker, Olympic, Opening Ceremony, Pool, River Watson, Robbie Renwick, Sascha Kindred, Sharron Davies, Shirley Miles, Steve Parry, Swim, swimming, swimming pool, Trevor Collins, TV and Radio, west, west wight, West Wight Swimming Pool, Wight, young | Comments Off on ASA Swimtastic Community Project of the Year 2013