Volunteers from a pool in Swindon say they are hopeful for the future now the building is undergoing vital maintenace work.

Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool welcomes around 700 visitors each week and is an asset to the community, providing a place for people with disabilities and injuries to exercise and socialise.

But in recent years, staff have been inundated with expensive utility bills and the building, which opened in 1979, was generally not sustainable without insulation.

Trustee Stanley Roper said in May: “Our gas bill was around £1,000 a month before Christmas. In January this year it was over £8,000 and in February it was just under £8,000. It’s really hit us hard.

“We’re raising money to keep it open sustainably by installing solar panels and heat pumps to reduce our gas and electric bill.”  

READ MORE: 30-mile sponsored walk to help keep cherished community pool going

The charity, which does not usually receive council funding, has been working hard to secure support and receive grants to fund a new roof with solar panels, and they are hoping more support will fund insulation and an air pump, to further reduce carbon emissions.

Stanley said: "It’s been lot of work getting there but there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel.

“We think by end of the year a lot of the work will be done if we get the grants, it’s looking hopeful.”

Volunteers have also done their bit to raise money for the improvement work and during a sponsored 30-mile walk in May, they raised £3,500. 

“The group started the walk from the Trout Inn, Lechlade at 7.20am", said Stanley.  "Their aim was to walk 30 miles as far as Oxford. After a very muddy and waterlogged walk to the halfway point, they stopped for a rest at Newbridge."

“But it was at this stage they were strongly advised not to attempt to go any further because the Thames was a lot worse the further they went, some parts of the path were still badly flooded, so they decided to return and walk back to Lechlade - this totalled 31.8 miles. The group arrived back at approximately 9.15pm very muddy and exhausted."

He added: “Everyone is impressed by the work so far, the panels are up and running and we would love to open a café eventually - people are very excited about that idea. We’re getting there and that’s a long-term thing, so maybe in the next few years.”