What a season Shoalstone Seawater Pool in Brixham has had. 2022 will be remembered for the wonderful hot summer and a great team of lifeguards.
Great news – we are now a Registered Charity. Charity status means that we can now apply to more funding streams to keep our bank balance healthy and enable us to carry out all the ongoing maintenance needed to keep the pool open and safe. However, to prove that Shoalstone is a much-loved asset to the community we have to officially show proof of our support i.e. our Membership. So please, if you love the pool as we do, go online and become a Friend of Shoalstone Seawater Pool – https://shoalstonepool.com/friends
Our first AGM as a Registered Charity will be held at the Berry Head Hotel, on November 15th at 7.00pm.
We need new Trustees, new members and all the support possible to ensure that the pool contributes to many more memorable summers in Brixham for locals and visitors alike.
A whoosh of sprats! September brought another first for us, when a shoal of sprats came over the wall on the high tide and filled up the pool leaving a 2 foot deep mucky mess of little fish, oil and grit. It was all quite alarming and sad, but volunteers rallied to Dave Barter’s urgent appeal on Facebook and, within a short while, a team of volunteers aided by the Brixham Trawler Agents were in the pool, knee deep in yuk -, shovelling and sweeping.
As the mess of fish could not just be pushed out into the sea due to environmental instructions, crates had to be shovelled and filled, before being barrowed up from the deep end to the level bathing area where a trolley provided by Brixham Trawler Agents waited. This trolley then took the filled crates to a truck that finally was able to take 2 tons of fishy mess down to an official Environmental Disposal unit.
Fundraising Heroes. In our time of need we got a lot of support from online donations, a sponsored swim, Jewsons and a share of funds raised at an afternoon garden party and Hog Roast disco.
Now in October, the Operations team has discovered that through tidal wear, a section of the pool has been undermined. This means that it is not safe for swimmers at the moment and crucial work needs to be carried out.
New 125 year Lease Luckily this month we received the news that Torbay Council /has granted Brixham Town Council 125 years lease for the pool.
This means the pool is safe from any drastic legal changes and has been recognised as an asset to the Bay. So, with confidence, we can continue raising funds for structural maintenance projects.
All in all quite a season!
For more information see www.shoalstonepool.com
facebook.com/shoalstone; or e mail info@shoalstonepool.com