The idea
Currently, our secondary school students have to be bussed to our primary school site for their hydrotherapy. This is stressful for many of our students, it increases the levels of staffing required to provide hydrotherapy and leads to a loss of learning time because of the time taken, not just in the journey time, but also in the time taken preparing for the journey, getting students into and out of the vehicles and the waiting time this entails.
The pool will also be available to children with statements of special educational need in other secondary schools in the Bristol area, accessed through Claremont's outreach service, which supports physically disabled children and young people across the city. The pool will also be available to disabled adult and adolescent groups in the local area, several of which have already been in contact with a view to using the pool for their hydrotherapy programmes.
What we'll deliver
- We're digging a big hole in the school grounds which will become a fantastic, state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool
Why it's a great idea
Hydrotherapy allows the use of more complex thinking and communication parts of the brain, aided by the multi-sensory equipment in the pool area. The warm water, high air temperature and relief of body weight combines to allows movement in ways not possible on land. Exercises become more intensive and movements are learned which can be translated to their every-day lives.
Our students are unable to take part in many sports and other social and physical activities. Hydrotherapy opens up the world of water, while helping build confidence, self-esteem and greater body strength.
Hydrotherapy strengthens weak muscles and increases our students' tolerance to exercise and aids circulation, while encouraging general functional activities - such as balance, co-ordination and posture.
Our hydrotherapy pool will have advanced multi-sensory equipment installed, including lights, sounds, music and visual effects using a variety of media programmes, plus a range of tactile equipment.
Steps to get it done
- We have appointed cost consultants to manage the project and appointed a contractor to build the hydrotherapy pool
While our total cost is over £1.43M, we have already raised almost £1.18M - leaving us just over £250,000 to raise. We hope to raise at least £35,000 through Spacehive and will carry on our fund raising from other potential funding foundations and charities.
