Paralympic gold medallist joins patients to open new hydrotherapy pool

Paralympic gold medallist joins patients to open new hydrotherapy pool

13 March 2013

A new hydrotherapy pool, which will be used to treat hundreds of young patients from The Children's Hospital in Sheffield, has been unveilved thanks to the generosity of supporters of The Children’s Hospital Charity.

The £200,000 state-of-the-art pool replaces a 50-year-old pool at the Ryegate Children’s Centre in Broomhill, which is run by Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - the Dransfield Properties charity bike rides in 2011 and 2012 have helped to fund the ambitious project.

Barnsley based retail property developers Dransfrield Properties worked in partnership with construction and retail developers Henry Boot Constructionto lead the project and both contributed a considerable amount of time, money and expertise to the scheme.

Henry Boot Construction donated management and labour costs and utilised their local supply chain contacts for the project and Dransfield Properties Ltd raised £35,000 through charity bike rides in Europe and also used their contacts within the property industry as well as holding volunteer days for staff to work on the project.

These generous contributions are valued at around £150,000 and add to the initial £50,000 raised for the project at The Children’s Hospital Charity’s Winter Ball in 2011.

Paralympic gold medallist Oliver Hynd MBE, from Kirkby in Ashfield, helped perform the opening honours, while patients three-year-old Max Orbell, from Hackenthorpe, Two-year-old Luke Guy, from Halfway, and three-year-old Lillia Reading, from Hackenthorpe, tried out the new pool.

Oliver Hynd, aged 18, who was treated at The Children's Hospital in Sheffield for bone growth abnormalities related to his Muscular Dystrophy, won gold, silver and bronze medals in swimming at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. His success in London follows on from earlier success at the European Championships in 2011.

Oliver Hynd said: “It’s fantastic to get involved with this great project and give something back for the treatment and care I received at The Children’s Hospital.

“The pool looks amazing and the kids are going to get so much out of it!”

The new pool at the Ryegate Children's Centre will be used to treat children with a range of disabilities, helping them to develop their skills, strengthen their bodies, or provide sensory treatment to improve their quality of life. It will also be used by children following serious accidents and by children with brain or spinal injuries.

With its improved design, the new sunken pool is easier to access, features modern lighting, including lights beneath the water, and has an improved hoist system. The specialist hoist system allows patients to be moved from the changing rooms straight into the pool and shower room.

The revamped pool area, which includes changing rooms for staff and patients, a shower room and a viewing area for parents, is now a lot more child-friendly with artwork by Sheffield artists TADO, who donated their time,  brightening up the walls. 

Mark Dransfield, managing director of Dransfield Properties Ltd, said: “The new hydrotherapy pool looks fantastic and is a real credit to everyone who has worked so hard on the project. I’d like to thank all those people who have supported the new pool through our own fundraising endeavors, helping us to achieve this fantastic transformation.”

Simon Carr, managing director of Henry Boot Construction, said: "We are so proud to have been involved in such an important project.  The new hydrotherapy pool will have a major impact on so many lives from the children using the pool to the parents, siblings and staff. 

“The project has amazingly brought the whole community together including local business and suppliers who have provided their generous support and contributions to make this project possible.”

Jenny Featherstone, team leader for community physiotherapy and occupational therapy at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are immensely grateful to all of the people who have been involved in this project. The new pool has provided us with a bright, fresh, fun environment which will transform hydrotherapy for all involved.

“From helping children with profound disabilities to move freely, through to overcoming fear of water in children with autism, the pool will be busy all the time. With the amazing rebuild, it will now be easier to access the pool, easier to change children and a wonderful environment to enhance the work we do for some really special children.”

Picture shows: Mark Dransfield (centre left) with Oliver Hynd and Simon Carr from Henry Boots (centre right) with staff and pateints at the new hydrotherapy pool in Sheffield

For further information please contact: Jennifer Thomas, PR, Marketing and Communications Manager at The Children’s Hospital Charity on 0114 3997990 or email jennifer@tchc.org.uk

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk