Over £300k funding secured to boost energy efficiency at Sandford Parks Lido
We run one of the latest press releases from Cheltenham Borough Council here are some very good news is you are a fan of its lido.
* Everything you read on Raikes is made possible by the generous support of our partners (we’ve already let you know about QuoLux and more will be revealed over the coming weeks) our founding members and our paid-up subscribers. A massive ‘thank you’ to all our other subscribers too. The support of all of you is invaluable!
Over £300k of funding has been secured for a series of projects and improvements that will reduce carbon emissions and energy bills of the borough’s much loved outdoor swimming pool.
Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) and Sandford Parks Lido have secured over £306k from the Sports England Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF), with additional support of £10k from CBC’s Cheltenham Zero Community Grant.
The funding will help the Lido achieve the third stage of their decarbonisation plan, by purchasing a new pool cover for the children’s pool and installing solar PV panels in the Lido car park. The Cheltenham Zero Community Grant was awarded in recognition of the great value of the work proposed by Sandford Parks Lido to tackle energy efficiency including the installation of EV charging points, car ports which will hold a solar array and planned improvements to safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
Julie Sargent, chief executive officer of Sandford Parks Lido, said: “Our decarbonisation journey started last year with site efficiencies and the installation of solar panels on our plant room. These grants will enable us to increase our green energy production to generate most of our current electrical demand.
“Many swimming pools are facing closure across the UK due to the utility crisis, it's vital that we develop new ways to power our pools. In addition to Sport England and the National Lottery, we’d like to thank Cheltenham Borough Council for supporting our grant application.”
Gemma Bell, director of finance and assets at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that both the joint bid for funding from SPSF was successful and that additional funding was awarded by the Cheltenham Zero Community Grant – we know how well loved the Lido is and how important it is to the town. This funding marks a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future for the Lido.”
Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director, Sport England, continued: “Swimming pools and leisure centres are vital community resources and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active. Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff.
Sport England is proud of the role we’ve played in supporting these facilities through this difficult period. We hope today’s funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to be more environmentally and financially sustainable, so they remain available for future generations to enjoy.”
Notes: The Sandford Parks Lido in the heart of Cheltenham boasts a 50m heated pool that combines fitness, fun, family and heritage all in one. Find out more on their website.
The grant from the Cheltenham Zero Community Fund was allocated from an underspend from the £50k pot of funding that was originally made available in 2022/23 for community groups to tackle energy efficiency projects, as part of Cheltenham’s work to help address the climate emergency.
The story above is a press release sent to Raikes on March 25 2024.
🔓 You’ve been reading a free edition of The Raikes Journal, for which we are grateful. Please do spread the word about what we are trying to do - create a real, journalistically-led, community-orientated, Gloucestershire-focused digital magazine. If you upgrade to paid, you will get on average eight extra members-only editions every month and will be able to see beyond any paywalls, as well as read Raikes’ rolling Top 100-plus Businesses in Gloucestershire series. You will also be allowed to comment on stories, make suggestions for what we should be writing about, vote in our awards, and might even be invited to our roundtable events. And you’ll be supporting the rebirth of high-quality journalism in Gloucestershire on a website championing the county you love — all for just £2.30 per week (Ask us about 20 per cent off for groups of two or more subscribers).