Saturday 4 July 2009

I’ll go for a swim.

Woke up one morning feeling fine. This is unusual for me. I pinched myself a couple of times just to make sure I wasn’t dead. No I was alive and totally pain free. I lay in bed for a few minutes to savour the moment then down stairs for a cuppa.
My oncologist has been suggesting I should take more exercise so I decide a morning swim is possible today. I haven’t swum since before my diagnosis because to be honest although I was an extremely good swimmer and a qualified advanced teacher I never felt confident enough to get back in the pool. I persuaded my wife to come along to act as my minder and off we set to Wednesbury baths where I know they have a disabled group.
When we arrive we are flagged down by three pretty young ladies who advise us they have a power cut at the pool and the pool is closed.
One of the most contentious issues in West Brom is that although we are the biggest town in Sandwell we do not have a swimming pool and from what I can see are never likely to get one. We considered our options all of which required a lengthy drive. We gave up on the swim.
Free swimming in West Brom under the government’s new rules would appear to be bit of a farce for us senior Sandwellians. Birmingham has a pool which is not to far from me which I’ll try next time I have the urge but surely Sandwell have a duty to provide these facilities.

6 comments:

Fat Prophet said...

You should have tried Darlaston Baths they are not that far from Wednesbury

Bob the Black Country Brummie said...

Thanks for info FP but I thought Darlaston closed years ago. In a way things worked out well because the following day I was totally wiped out. If I had swam sure as sure I would have blamed the swim.

Fat Prophet said...

Try this link Bob -btw sorry to hear you not so well
http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/leisure_and_culture/leisure_centres/darlaston_leisure_centre.htm

Bob the Black Country Brummie said...

Thanks again FP Darlaston would hve been a suitable alternative.

The Vicar's Wife said...

Darlaston is a lovely pool but lacking the waves and slides that the kids love. I have to say that I'm very unimpressed with the lack of facilities in West Brom, having moved from Wolverhampton which has a lovely new pool with all the fun stuff. We have to travel there or to Stourbridge for family swimming trips.

Bob the Black Country Brummie said...

Thank you for your comment The Vicars wife. Swimming is a most contentious issue in West Brom but despite this I still think it’s a nice place to live. I’ll carry on lobbying for a pool and I hope you will too. Perhaps that ought to be the next “Big Issue” when our clinic is built.