Ships and Castles, Falmouth Crowdfunder to save pool launched

Community interest company Pendennis Leisure is campaigning to raise £10,000 to re-open Ships & Castles Leisure Centre and to protect Pendennis headland for the communities of and near Falmouth and Penryn.

Protestors outside County Hall in March (Image: Paul Armstrong)

Cornwall Council closed the Ships & Castles pool in March prompting big protests but has now agreed to devolve it to Falmouth Town Council, who want Pendennis Leisure to take it on.

The company has been working with Falmouth Town Council to develop plans to re-open Ships & Castles ever since.

They say a lot of it comes back to money which is why it is running a Crowdfunder – to tap into the support it has had from the community over the last few months and build a pot of cash to power it through to the next stage.

The company wants to get the pool transferred to community ownership and the money raised will help pay for:

• Expert technical support for reopening Ships & Castles.
• Expert advice and technical support in appraising options for future facilities, including improving Ships & Castles facilities.
• Young people involvement in co-designing future facilities through workshops and activities.
• Match funding to help raise longer term finance.

Gemma Lawley, a swim coach, swimming instructor and mum, who helped set up Pendennis Leisure Community Interest Company to save Ships and Castles said the fundraiser was vital to save the pool.

"We are realistic about how much effort and money will be needed to get our leisure centre open again," she said. "And, while fairly modest, this Crowdfunder is a vital part of the journey to raise the funds we will need.

"We have made applications to some of the big funds designed to support what we are trying to do, and will be applying for plenty more.

"Our chances of success improve dramatically if we can show solid community backing. Right now we need funding to pay technicians and consultants, to get our web and communications working effectively and to get young people safely involved in our campaign and project planning."

Ships and Castles closed in April (Image: Paul Armstrong)

She says charitable trust Power to Change has already agreed to match fund so if they can raise £5,000 from the community, Power to Change will give the company another £5,000.

Pendennis Leisure Community Interest Company was formed by residents of Falmouth, Penryn and surrounding villages to operate and enhance leisure services at Ships & Castles, Falmouth.

Cornwall Council wanted to sell it but Falmouth Town Council negotiated an option to take over the site under a Devolution Deal.

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They can only do it if they have a community partner to take it on and run it - which is where Pendennis Leisure comes in.

The company say it has got several possible partners interested in helping them re-open the Ships & Castles centre, and taking on the surrounding green space for community leisure.

However, the company says someone needs to make the first move - and it needs to be the community and then hopefully Power to Change and other backers will add their support. "We need to show them that the community really cares about this," they said.

In July, Cornwall Council's cabinet voted to sell off the leisure centre along with a large area of land on the headland where it is located. 

However it has allowed six months from that date for devolution discussions to continue with Falmouth Town Council and Pendennis Leisure.

You can find the Crowdfunder HERE or at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ships-castles