Trust Has Pool In Sights

The site is currently owned by Arun District Council, which is in the process of agreeing the final details of a 125-year lease which will transfer the site to Arundel Town Council.

Once the town council is satisfied that the trust will be able to raise one third of the 1.75 million needed to refurbish the pool by December, it will hand the site over.

Appeal chairman Ruth Kerslake said: "We are optimistic that a final draft of the lease can be agreed, which would allow the transfer of the site to take place in April."

Arun District Council decided to close Arundel's popular open-air pool the last of its kind in West Sussex in 1999, to make savings within its leisure budget.

And its closure was also considered appropriate because the swimming pool no longer met best practice health and safety standards.

But September, 2000, brought the formation of the trust, which had grand plans not only to refurbish and re-open the pool but also to provide all sorts of leisure facilities, such as a health and fitness suite.

The trust is appealing to members of the local community who have a few hours to spare, for a variety of different volunteer roles from book-keeping to decorating site buildings.

Ruth Kerslake said: "Potential volunteers can rest assured that they will work as part of a team and be given full support.

"We see the role of the trust as being there to serve the community and that involves being available to listen to people."

You can call Ruth on 01903 884955 for information about volunteering or the appeal's progress.

And you can also now call into the trust's office at Arundel Town Hall, Maltravers Street, any Thursday between 10am and noon.