Leisure Centre Reaches Its Quest and Swimming to Success

Leisure Centre Reaches Its Quest

Fenton Manor Sports Complex is celebrating success in an independent quality assessment, which has praised its high standards.

The centre has been given a "Commended" result of 74% by Quest following a mystery visit earlier on in the year and visit by an external assessor over three days in May. The result is an increase of 6% on the previous assessment two years ago. Quest measures standards of customer relations, operational procedures, staffing and service development and review.

Comments stated in the report include, "The general appearance and condition of the centre was excellent... Staff are well motivated and committed to delivering a high standard of customer service ... The Centre provides an excellent programme of activities and has high quality facilities... Disabled provision in the centre was excellent."

Shapes Gym, which is located within Fenton Manor Sports Complex was referred to as an "Excellent health and leisure club" in the report.

Michael Robson, Operations Manager says "The assessor informed us that this is one of the highest increases in scores he has ever given a local authority facility! We are extremely pleased with the result - it is a reflection of the hard work the staff have put in.  We will continue to aim high to ensure the centre is a facility the guests and the City can be proud of."

For more information contact:
Christopher Austin
Fenton Manor Sports Complex
Tel: 01782 233222
Email: christopher.austin@stoke.gov.uk

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Swimming to Success

Two swimmers are being congratulated for successfully completing their awards.

Megan Ashley, aged 11, has passed the Platinum Award, which is the highest badge that can be achieved through the STA Awards scheme. Whilst eight year old Joshua Johnstone, who has autism, has passed his Endeavour. They have been chosen from over 1,000 children currently on swimming lessons, to have their awards personally presented to them.

Debbie Ralph, Swimming Lesson Co-ordinator says, "We have hundreds of children on swimming lessons, however these two children have been picked out because of the effort that they have put in. They have both reached personal goals - Megan has been attending lessons for over four years now and has quickly progressed through the badges, to now reach the highest level she can for her age. Josh was a complete non swimmer and absolutely terrified of the pool eight months ago, but now he is confident in the water and is looking forward to moving on to his next badge."

In order to pass her Platinum Award, Megan had to meet criteria which included: timed swims, rescuing and stabilising a casualty with a suspected spinal injury and demonstrating synchronized swimming skills. Whilst Josh had to demonstrate safe entries and exits into the pool, show he was able to float for 15 seconds and swim 10 metres.

Irene Joyce, former President of the STA and Swimming Lesson Co-ordinator, Debbie Ralph presented the awards to them at Dimensions Leisure Centre. Teachers from across the city were also in attendance as the presentation followed a parent and baby teacher training course.

Debbie Ralph says, "The parent and baby swimming lessons we have been running at Dimensions have been a massive success and the lessons are in demand. So we are now wanting to extend them out across the city, but in order to do this we have to give our teachers some specialist training. So we are holding a full day course for them and then hopefully in the near future we will be able to offer more lessons for little water babies!"

Stoke-on-Trent Pools will be enrolling for their next course of swimming lessons from Monday 15 October 2007.

For more information contact:  Debbie Ralph, Swimming Lesson Co-ordinator on 01782 234184.