UPPER Wharfedale Swimming Club is just managing to keeps its head above water in order to pay its rents.

The club has 140 members of all ages who swim on four days of the week at a cost of around £165 per week. An hour's rent of the pool is currently £35 but this is soon to go up to £40.

An AGM is to be held on Wednesday April 5 at Upper Wharfedale School in order to look at ways to encourage more people to become members.

"At the moment the annual fee for each member is £35 but this will also have to be increased to £40 to cover the cost," explained club treasurer, Peter Gains.

Visitors to the area such as people staying with relatives or friends are charged £2 for a swim.

Though the pool is used regularly during term times it would like to see membership numbers increase to 200 for costs to be met comfortably. Already many people from the immediate area take advantage of the facility with some even travelling as far as Buckden and Cray to enjoy a weekly swim.

In addition there are classes for youngsters learning to swim, ladies only, over 60s and family sessions.

Mr Gains, has been treasurer for 25 years and was involved at the beginning before the pool was even built.

He came to Grassington as police sergeant in 1966 when the pool, adjacent to the school was just a hole in the ground.

The committee had raised money and when it was finished in 1968 it was open air, at the mercy of the elements though heated by the school's boilers.

Later fencing was put round it and later still, a building which was tiled at the expense of North Yorkshire County Council.

Initially the club hired the pool rent free up until 1974 when the management of schools came in and the club started having to pay.

Subscriptions are paid for the year beginning at Easter though a reduction is charged for those joining after Christmas.

"The occasional coffee morning, of which there is one on Easter Monday helps to boost the coffers but what we really need is more members," he exclaimed.

Picture by Andy Garbutt.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.