Deepings Swimming Club captain Penelope Baxter writes about the impact of the issues at Deepings Leisure Centre

Much has been said about the politics of Deepings Leisure Centre, but what about the impact on users? We asked swimming club captain Penelope Baxter, 17, to explain what its meant to her…

Since the closure of Deepings Leisure Centre, swimmers from Deepings Swimming Club have been forced to drive in all directions to alternative facilities.

This has included Bourne, Stamford and Peterborough pools to get the hours in that we need to maintain good fitness and agility to attend competitions up to national level.

I have always been willing to wake up early for swimming as part of my commitment to the sport but it was different when we had access to a pool, only five minutes round the corner.

Since the closure, I have continued to attend training sessions at 6-7am before school. However, the extra travel time has added 45 minutes to my routine, which has had a significant impact on my ability to function properly throughout the day.

Finding a balance between school and swimming has also been a struggle. The new requirements have forced me to reduce my hours in order to focus on my education - but I know this has negatively affected my training.

As a senior swimmer and club captain, I want younger swimmers to have security so that they are able to progress in the ways that I was able to.

The past two-and-a-half years have been really difficult for the club – with many strong swimmers leaving due to the strain of travelling - but we have been able to recover and are now on our way to reaching our full potential.

A series of false promises have led to confusion and disappointment and, unfortunately, it is unlikely I will still be living in Deeping if and when a solution is finally found. I was fifteen when the pool first closed and will be going to university next year.

I still intend to swim but relying on the reopening of Deeping is no longer an option for me.

I am also a lifeguard and, therefore, recognise the importance of young people learning how to swim. Experts are predicting a spike in accidental drowning in the UK partly due to young people missing out on swimming education.

A survey from the RLSS found that over 55% of parents would not be confident that their child would know how to respond to falling into open water. With the closure of DLC I am worried about the safety of young people in our area if they are unable to respond to dangerous situations in water.

Although the closure is an inconvenience to me, I am more worried about those that need it more critically for personal safety.

I think that the most recent update about the centre is really encouraging, the prospect of a third party taking on the running of the facility is a positive development and I hope that it will foreshadow a great future for Deepings Leisure Centre.

Exercise has never been more important and yet the response of many government authorities has been to close leisure facilities. A report from Lincolnshire County Council has found that 68% of adults in Lincolnshire are either overweight or obese which is above the UK average.

The lack of maintenance over time to keep DLC in a good condition and up to health standards is what I believe to be the source of this chaos. If other councils learn anything from the way South Kesteven District Council has handled this, it should be to take care of their facilities better.

I am glad that Deepings community has come together to express their support and it is this positive public engagement that I hope will push the council to work harder for their constituents to meet their needs.