Fears for physical and mental health if Broxburn pool closes
A campaign to save the swimming pool in Broxburn is making a splash
Parents in Broxburn fear their children's mental and physical wellbeing is in jeopardy if their local swimming pool is shut for good.
West Lothian Council has earmarked Xcite Broxburn as one of three facilities that could be shut in cost saving measures.
The local authority admits it's not what they want to do, but "economic pressures" mean money needs to be found somewhere.
But a campaign led by the Broxburn Amateur Swimming Club is making a splash, as they plead to their beloved pool to be saved.
Last night (Thursday June 8) the campaign met with Scottish Swimming and MP for the Livingston Constituency Hannah Bardell - as their 100 plus members trained - to discuss a way forward.
Paul, a Dad of one of the young swimmers, who works in mental health himself, says he's very concerned about the possible psychological impacts, he told Forth News:
"The club's not just about the kids, adults giving their time is good for their mental health.
"The kids are learning new stuff, they're connecting with people and it's great.
"It keeps them well, losing that is going to be detrimental on their wellbeing."
Julie tells us that lockdown gave a preview of the effect having no access to a pool would have:
"All my children have been to learn to swim, I've still currently got two in the learn to swim programme and I've got a squad swimmer with the Broxburn swimming club.
"It's just going to be an absolute massive loss, I remember the mental health issues my daughter had when Covid hit and she couldn't get in the water.
"I'm dreading this happening."
Physical health is also a concern, Kate's daughters both attend lessons, one of them has diabetes, and finds swimming to be the easiest way to stay active.
Kate said: "The closure of the pool will impact her health very much.
"It is essential for her to stay fit and healthy, so that's very, very bad for her to close the pool".
Scottish Swimming say they're very concerned about the closure, or potential closures of pools, across the country.
Helen Frost from the organisation is telling us that they are "vital community resources".
She continued: "Not just for the health of the nation but for safety - there's 100,000 children who learn to swim every week in Scotland.
"If pools close they're losing a vital life skill that could put them in danger.
"Swimming is one of those sports you can do at all ages and all abilities, if you're injured, if you have a health condition, so they're actually saving us from some of the worst health conditions."
MP for the Livingston constituency Hannah Bardell was very concerned to hear of the potential closure, as a former swimmer herself.
"They have 120 swimmers coming through this club each week, they've produced some of the best talent in Scotland and they continue to do that." She told Forth News.
Continuing, Ms Bardell said: " And it's not just about the athletic and sport side of it, it's also about the health and wellbeing side of it.
"Saving this pool and making sure people in Broxburn continue to have access to a good swimming pool is so important."
Asked about the continuing pressure on the finances of Councils, Bardell insists it can't be down to just one Government to step up to save pools across Scotland, she said:
"There's been a lot of finger pointing and blame games, and I understand that.
"West Lothian has had the second biggest settlement in Scotland, we know that isn't enough, but there's only so much resource.
"So it's actually a combination of things, I've written to my colleagues in the Scottish Government and I've raised it with the UK Government as well.
"But actually what we need to do is work together, work with local business - which has not been done in the past - because lots of local business and business people have contacted me to say 'I want to help, what can I do?'"
Ben Lamb, chief executive of West Lothian Leisure said that “closing venues is not what we want to do”.
However, he said: “In the face of multiple economic pressures, closures are the only way to secure the future of the services we provide to the people of West Lothian.
“We understand that this news comes as a massive blow to the team. We are committed to finding as many redeployment opportunities as possible across our other facilities.”