Wimborne leisure centre closure to impact lives of disabled

The leisure centre is owned by the school but is operated by Dorset Council

The closure of a leisure centre would seriously affect the lives of disabled and elderly people who rely on aquatic therapy, a woman has said.

Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre, Wimborne, will close to the public after Dorset Council withdrew funding.

Hannah Small, who has rheumatoid arthritis, said its aquatic therapy pool has been key to managing her condition.

Dorset Council said it "could not justify" funding the centre.

It previously said it subsidised the centre, which is based at Queen Elizabeth's School, by £500,000 a year - around a third of its leisure centres budget.

Ms Small, who was diagnosed aged 29, said she was "seriously worried" about the closure.

She said: "I would lose access to the physiotherapist, which would be a huge blow because she has helped me through so many difficulties over the last 15 years, it's been unreal.

"The first time I walked into the pool, I was on two walking sticks and could hardly support my own weight - I was in that much pain.

"Now I walk with one stick most of the time so she has basically saved me from a wheelchair, which is just fantastic.

"As a mother of a teenager who has a fairly busy life and a job, I can't be taking painkillers because it's not feasible - I would have to take quite strong painkillers and that would lose my quality of life.

"It would have a domino impact on lots of things."

Ms Small said people using the services at the centre paid for them and often contacted the centre's physiotherapist, who understood their conditions, before contacting the NHS.

She said closing the centre will heap more pressure on health services.

Previously Dorset Council said: "In an area where seven public leisure facilities are within a 20 min drive of QELC - three of which are owned by Dorset Council - it was considered that the council could not justify the continued public-funding of the centre."

Liz West, of Initio Learning Trust, said the school had "explored every possible way of maintaining the leisure centre".

The centre, which has 40 permanent employees, will cease public operations from 1 April.

About 2,000 people have signed petitions against its closure.

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