Here at Heywood Sports Village, we understand that visiting the swimming pool can be an overwhelming experience. In some instances, the volume of people in our swimming pools can be quite challenging. We are exploring the introduction of a Sensory Friendly Family Swim session, to provide young swimmers with the opportunity to swim, in a more relaxed and comfortable environment.
Location
Heywood Sports Village
W Starkey Street
Heywood
OL10 4TW
Sessions/Pricing
FREE Trial Session
On Sunday 25 February
At 3.45 – 4.45pm
Due to limited places, pre-booking is required. To book, please contact the centre on 01706 924000 or by talking to a member of staff at reception.
Future sessions are likely to be on a selected weekend day each month, and will be promoted through our Facebook page and website.
Who can attend?
Any family who has at least one child with additional support needs. We understand that each child is different and their needs can vary.
Swimming Pool Policy applies. Non swimmers must be supervised by an adult.
View Swimming Admissions PolicyWhat to expect
Swimmers from the previous session will leave the pool at 3.30pm, 15 minutes before the Sensory Friendly Family session starts.
Your session will commence at 3.45 – 4.45pm.
To help prepare you and your children for the visit, we have provided some details below.
Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood OL10 4TW
We have two swimming pools, spectators area, sauna & steam room, fitness suite, Sports Hall, Astro Turf Football Pitches and Dance Studios.
Welcome
Our friendly staff are easily identifiable, as they wear a blue coloured t-shirt or polo shirt. Our friendly Customer Service Assistants are the first people you will meet upon entrance to our facilities. They will be there to meet and greet you, point you in the right direction and answer any questions you have.
You may also see an Assistant Manager wearing a blue polo shirt. They are there to manage staff, help our customers and make sure the operations of our centre, is running correctly, ensuring a safe and clean environment for your visit.
Where to go
Our pool changing rooms is the next port of call, with swimming pool admission, taken at reception. Access is achieved through the turnstiles and into pool changing area.
Pool Changing Rooms
We have a variety of different changing area available for us, including Male, Female, Family and Disabled changing areas. These include showers, toilets and lockers to use. The lockers take a £1 coin or locker token, which is returned, after you have finished using your locker.
Our Staff
Our friendly Lifeguards wear a blue top, black shorts and have a whistle. They are trained to supervise and patrol different areas of the swimming pools. They are there to ensure a safe environment for swimming, by implementing rules to minimise accidents/ incidents and most importantly, respond if there is an emergency.
Please be aware that occasionally lifeguards may blow their whistle, to get attention of a swimmer or more importantly, if there is an emergency and a particular action needs to be carried out.
Swimming Pools
There are two pools in the centre. The depth of the Large Pool varies from 1m at the shallow end to 1.8m at its deepest point. The water temperature of the Large Pool is 28.5-29.5°C.
The depth of the Small Pool is 0.8m-0.9m. The water temperature of the Small Pool is warmer than the Large Pool, ranging from 31-32°C.
Safety for all participants
Safety in the pool area is paramount for everyone.
We want everyone to have fun so there are a few guidelines that must be followed. If you are not sure, please ask a Lifeguard.
Ultimately you are responsible for yourself and your children in and around the pool area, the Lifeguards are there in an emergency and help keep everyone safe.
Please follow instructions on the signs located around the pool area, and any given by the Lifeguards.
We ask that you
- Have fun and enjoy your session
- Be responsible for your children
- Help your children to follow the rules
- Store all of your personal belongings in the lockers provided. Do not bring bags/clothes onto poolside
Please don’t
- Run on poolside
- Dive/cannon ball into the pool
- Dunk other people
- Push others into the water
- Do acrobatics into the water
Alarms and Noises
Noise
Music, hair dryers and hand dryers will be switched off during the Sensory Friendly Family sessions.
Exclusive access
The Sauna and steam rooms will be switched off and the changing area and poolside will be exclusively available for only your session. No public/ members will be permitted access at this time.
Pool Alarm
Should the Pool Alarm be activated, that means the pool has to be evacuated and the Lifeguard may have to make a rescue. Should this happen, the Your Trust team will make their way to poolside within seconds to provide support.
Fire Exits
There are two fire exits on poolside; one for the large pool and one for the small pool
Fire Alarm
Should the Fire Alarm be activated, the Lifeguards will ask everyone to line up by a Fire Exit located at the small pool. We will only evacuate swimmers if there is a real fire.
If in the extremely rare situation there is an evacuation of the swimmers, the Lifeguards issue foil blankets to all swimmers and lead them to the Fire Assembly Point, located at the front car park.