Newsletter - March 2022
Welcome to our March Newsletter
As we emerge from the pandemic and race towards normality things have been very busy at the pool. We've lots to tell you about our progress and plans for 2022. Read on for news concerning CCTV, charitable status, events, lifeguards and benches!

Lifeguards
It is that time of year again when we are starting the process of recruiting our lifeguard team for the coming season. If you would be interested in becoming a lifeguard at Shoalstone please do get in touch for further details. We would be particularly interested in hearing from people who would be available out of the main summer season, so we can continue to increase the number of events and activities at the pool throughout the year.

CCTV
Shoalstone Seawater Pool sits in a unique location with the coast path passing through the site and the area remaining open for all to come and admire the views, no matter what the weather or time of day. This comes with the downside that the pool is vulnerable to acts of vandalism or anti-social behaviour. In 2021 we had to close the pool on two occasions to drain it and remove broken glass from smashed bottles. These acts of vandalism caused us and the community who use the pool huge inconvenience and distress. The pool area is not covered by CCTV cameras and as such we don’t have a deterrent capability or the ability to identify offenders.
Luckily we are supported by an amazing community in Brixham. Emma Burns set up a crowdfunding page and raised over £1,000 to contribute to the installation of a CCTV system. Our Community Police Officer, Abi Seaman, took this further and helped us gain additional funding via a Devon Police Community Grant. We are delighted to announce that a sophisticated 8 camera system has now been installed at the pool and is fully operational. This allows us to identify individuals and incidents of crime and take action accordingly. It is important to stress that the system is for crime prevention only and is governed by robust security and procedures to prevent misuse. We’d like to thank Emma, Abi and the Brixham Community for helping us get this system installed and look forward to a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour surrounding the pool.

Opening and Painting
So far this winter has been kind to the pool and we have suffered little damage from the storms and wind. However, we have a number of areas that still need attention and will be commencing repairs in March. This involves stripping render and concrete from the pool wall interior and replacing it with reinforcing steel in a number of areas. The programme will run for four weeks and allow us to get the pool open for May 2022. We had hoped to strip and repaint the pool interior as part of these works. However, we just do not have the budget to carry this out at present and will defer it pending additional fundraising activities.
We’ve commissioned a second stage civil engineering study of the pool focused upon issues around the northwestern corner. This will build upon survey work previously completed and allow us to fill in our information gaps and plan for a major project to sustain the pool’s future for many years to come.

Committee News
Our transition to charitable status is nearly complete with the formation of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and a transfer of undertakings from the existing Community Interest Company. We hope this transition will accelerate our fundraising efforts as we will be able to seek new grants only available to those with charitable status. A project team has been formed to look at identifying and securing significant donations for the pool to support our infrastructure and maintenance.
We are also in the process of recruiting a full-time Operations Manager to join the CIO and take on the day-to-day management of the pool and its finances. The running of the pool involves a significant amount of work for the current volunteer committee and the appointment of a new member of staff will release time that can be better used on fundraising and strategy.

Forthcoming Events
Our fundraising activities this year were kicked off by a quiz kindly hosted by the Yacht Club which raised nearly £500 via team entry fees and a raffle organised by our volunteers. We are delighted to report that a fundraising dinner hosted by Rockfish in March is now completely sold out. Thank you to all who have supported this event. A quick heads up to all you fans of Exeter Chiefs: one of the auction prizes will be two tickets for the next game on Saturday March 19th, so keep your diary clear!
The next event planned is the Dog Swim on Easter Monday, April 18th. This will be contingent upon the completion of the pool repairs but for the time being please keep the date in your (and your dog’s) diary.

Benches
Are you looking for the perfect memorial bench to honour a loved ones’ memory? We have space at Shoalstone and can order a memorial bench.
A brass plaque to affix to the memorial bench with your own choice of wording makes this commemorative piece of outdoor furniture far more personal.
We are also looking to replace the 6 picnic benches on the green. These may be used as memorial benches or we would welcome any business
sponsorship too.
A lasting tribute to remember a loved one.
Contact us on info@shoalstonepool.com

Contact Us
We’re always keen to hear from you on any matter concerning the pool be it fundraising ideas, offers for help or anything that we may not have thought of. Please feel free to get in touch via our email address info@shoalstonepool.com
Read our previous newsletter
Our November 2021 newsletter can be viewed here
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Contact Us
Shoalstone Pool, Berry Head Road, Brixham,TQ5 9FT
- 01803 302024
- info@shoalstonepool.com
Further Information
We are always keen to hear your views and feedback. If you have something to tell us please do get in touch. New Volunteers are always welcome. We’re busy maintaining and improving the pool all year round.