It is now possible to pay for your swimming by Direct Debit. Lane swimming at £15.00 a month entitles you to unlimited swimming at all lane swimming times and recreational times. Children’s Swimming Lesson fees are £25.00 a month, which covers one lesson a week and unlimited public swimming. Lessons missed through holidays or sickness can be taken up at alternative sessions, space permitting. There are also free Shirley Swimming Pool Sports Bags for the first 100 direct debit clients.

The direct debit scheme is intended to ease payment for customers and to assist administration. It will not suit everyone and if you wish to continue to pay in blocks of ten, that's fine. Blocks of four lessons will be phased out in due course. Direct Debit Application forms can be obtained from reception.

Swimming Club Annual Membership

The annual membership fee for Tadpoles, Turtles and Dolphins is due on April 1st. The fee remains at £27.00. However, if you sign up for Direct Debit, the annual fee is included. Direct debit fees are £32.50 for Dolphins, £25.00 a month for Tadpoles or Turtles. Dolphins can swim up to 3 times a week, one of which may be a Turtle session.

Membership photos

All swimmers in lessons should have a personalised membership card, regardless of your payment method. This includes medical and emergency contacts, award history and a photograph. If you have not done so already please take a few minutes to complete the card at reception. The card contains a barcode with a unique identifier. The swimmers swipe the card on arrival at reception. Eventually, we will be able to computerise the registers and avoid interrupting the classes to check names.

Distance Badges

Any swimmer that has attained 100m and water skills 4 can take part in distance awards on the last Saturday of the month at 11.30am. Cost is £2.50, plus badges. Free to Direct Debit customers.

Beechwood School, Midanbury & St.Monicas School, Sholing

Lessons start at these two school pools with Chloe, Deborah and Hannah Langley on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting the first week after Easter, April 29th & 30th. Although the changing facilities are limited, the pools are clean, warm and shallow. Classes will run term time only to start with, between 4.00pm and 6.00pm, using the same lesson format as Shirley. Places are sure to fill quickly once we start to advertise as all the swim schools on that side of town are full.

Pool Refurbishment

The current plan is that the pool will close for two weeks only, in the summer, probably the last two weeks in August. A new steel structure will be erected over the existing building and then we will reopen in September as normal. At Christmas the roof and cladding will be added during the shutdown. Business as normal will resume in January. The new building will be completed out and in August 2004 we will be ready to remove the old building.

Support your favourite pool

We now have a range of clothing available to buy which includes Swim Hats, Draw String Bags, Fleeces, T-Bag Tops, Baseball Caps, Sports Bag and Beach Towels. All at great prices. Ante Natal & Pre Natal Classes

Friday afternoons at 1.30 is the quietest time of the week at the pool. Starting after Easter, these gentle relaxation and exercise classes will be led by Deborah Quinn Snoggins. A free trial is available for expectant and recent mothers.

Southampton Dolphins Swimming Club

Gosport Dolphins Swimming Club were the guests at the latest gala held at Shirley Pool. Dolphins had many debutants selected from the Championships who swam well and contributed to another home victory for the club.
On Sunday 16th of March the West End Swim School Swimming club and Dolphins Swimming Club had their Annual Awards Ceremony presentations held at the Dolphin Hotel Southampton.

Saints footballer Francis Benali was wonderful, giving up his Sunday to present the children with their awards. Over 200 medals were awarded to recognize the achievements of the swimmers at the recent Annual Club Championships in February. Thanks to the Dolphins committee for organizing the event, and Janet and Bob Musker for providing the venue.

Long distance swims

Congratulations to Lauren Davison (8) and Jody Jarvis (12) who slogged through 320 lengths to achieve their 5 mile award. Both raised money for cancer charities.

If anyone is interested in organizing a sponsored swim this year, Shirley Pool is happy to donate the pool.

Lost Property

There is a chest of boys trunks, girls trunks and one of odd clothes as well as coats and the odd shoe. The staff will be more than happy to pull out a box to let you have a rummage before it goes to the charity shop.

Goggles

It is always easier to learn with your eyes open so we do encourage the children to buy their own, good quality goggles. The goggles on sale at the pool are guaranteed not to leak and the Speedo Futura will not mist up, which means the goggles can stay on the whole lesson. Owning goggles means that they can practice in the bath and adjust the settings. The biggest problem with owning goggles is that they keep losing them! Please try and mark goggles with a name, preferably a stitched label. The reception keeps a limited number of loan goggles for those regular emergencies.

Ultra Violet Cleansing

The small pool is now filtered over an ultra violet lamp that “zaps” the chloramines in the water, reducing the traditional smells and stings of chlorine. After a trial period in the small pool, the main pool will go on line.

Teaching standards

Our aim at Shirley Pool has always been for high quality teaching standards, delivered in a fun approach, progressing children as quickly as they can learn. To that end we constantly aim for higher standards to make your visit and the lessons as enjoyable as possible. If you ever feel that service is not up to standard, please let us know. Over the next few years the building will gradually change with the aim of making parents and spectators more comfortable in reception and swimmers while changing. In the meantime, thank you for your patience with the crowded facilities.

Shirley Swimming Pool, Kentish Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO15 3GR 023 80781901