"Good start" to swimming clubs' 50-metre pool campaign

This is how Mike Hamblin, president of Hastings Seagull Swimming Club sums up the campaign by local swimming clubs to get a regional quality sports centre for the Hastings Rother area.

Together with Bexhill Swimming Club and 1066 Swimmers, the Seagulls have made a joint approach to the two local authorities.

Instead of building replacements for the smaller pools at Bexhill and Hastings, the clubs are appealing to Rother and Hastings councils jointly to build a 50-metre pool so that local swimmers can train for county and regional competitions.

Both Hastings and Rother councils have indicated that they are prepared to discuss the concept but most work at present is going into two smaller, local facilities along the lines of the current models.

Mike Hamblin says: "Such an approach is fine but, as the example of K2 at Crawley shows, while local facilities attract local support '“ regional facilities attract regional support.

"A single, quality, venue would not only give residents improved facilities but would attract competitive events from across the south-east and even across the country.

"These are the sort of events that can help to inspire our children and get them away from their computer screens.

"This can have huge benefits both for personal fitness and helping keep kids out of trouble but, perhaps more importantly, is seen by government as an essential tool in the fight against obesity. "We have already received support from a number of local doctors who share governments concerns regarding the obesity issue but unfortunately see little evidence locally of a co-ordinated process to start to combat it".

The clubs have launched a petition both on the Observer website and thorough the clubs themselves.

Mike Hamblin says: "We are approaching the 1000 signature mark from swimming contacts alone" but any sports facility will need the support of everyone in the Hastings/Rother catchment.

"We are starting to involve all sporting disciplines in the area from clubs to national sporting names to emphasise that any new facility will cater for numerous activities in addition to swimming, but it is numbers that will let our elected members know that we will not settle for second rate facilities.

"The people of Plymouth raised 10,000 signatures in their successful campaign.

"If the people of Hastings and Rother wish to see quality sports facilities for their children then we need to match that and that should surely be within our grasp".

Copies of the petition are available from the campaign website at [email protected] or by contacting Terry Fitzgerald on 07795012822.