I am starting this petition today in order to prevent Hull City Council from causing a travesty to 240 child swimmers who swim for and represent Hull as part of Kingston-upon-Hull Swimming Club. In other words by closing Ennerdale Leisure Centre 240 children's Olympic dreams may be crushed.
33% (Hull Daily Mail,2012) of children within the north of Hull where Ennerdale Leisure Centre is situated live in poverty in addition to Bransholme East and Bransholme west having 45% of their children living in poverty (End Child Poverty, 2013). Moreover by reducing children's access to a local sports facility; the possibility of a reduction in the physical development and well-being of these poverty stricken children within the surrounding area will become apparent.
Research has shown that by living in a deprived area increases the chance of obesity (Hull public health, 2013). It has been insinuated deprivation can increase the chances of type II diabetes in addition to a further increase if the local population have reduced access to leisure facilities(Sean Poulter, Daily Mail, Accessed online 2013). Therefore an argument can be made that by closing Ennerdale swimming pool the local community’s health will be put at risk. As Kingston-upon-Hull has been labelled one of a fattest cities (The Guardian, 2004) Hull city council can be seen to be contradicting itself when looking at the Community Health and Well-Being Strategy (web5.hullcc.gov.uk).
Hulls community health and well-being strategy states that "planning decisions of all types need to be considered with their impact on the health of communities (web5.hullcc.gov.uk)”. Overall the local community has not been involved in any decisions being made by the Hull City Council on the future of Ennerdale leisure Centre. As the local community has not been given a public meeting to voice their concerns and that all decisions are being made behind closed doors; how can this be seen to be involving the community in decisions that will impact their health?
Ennerdale leisure Centre is the only pool that has the correct facilities to enable children within our city to become Olympic swimming stars of the future. It is the only pool that is 25 m long which is the correct size for swimming competitions and galas. Hull City Council have suggested the use of pools that are not the correct size, don't have adequate parking, don't have enough seating so that parents can support their children when competing and are not suitable by ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) standards. All pools within Hull have been poorly funded and need a substantial amount of investment to bring them up to scratch. Ennerdale leisure Centre is one of the newest pools with the best facilities and the Amateur Swimming Association have stated that “it defines logic to shut this pool”( Dennis Freeman-Wright MBA, CMIOSH, FInstSRM(Hons),2013).
From a personal point of view my children have used this pool since the age of six weeks. The staff at this leisure centre we count as friends as they have seen my children grow and have supported my daughter when she has had ill health.
My children and I are both devastated and dismayed that Hull City Council can close our only local leisure Centre without care and thought for children within the local community. The children are not just numbers that don't deserve investment in their future; they are children that would like to achieve and are just asking the local council for their support in this. Please support my children and the children of Kingston-upon-Hull swimming club ,by signing this petition to get local and central government to stop the closure giving back future hope of Olympic achievements.
Thank you