Lord-Lieutenant’s visit to South Shropshire

Last week the Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner, was delighted to accept an invitation from the SpArC Charity to visit the newly refurbished swimming pool at the SpArC Centre in Bishop’s Castle.

Mrs Turner was warmly welcomed and given a tour of the centre by Fiona Boak, Chair of the SpArC Charity, together with Rhys Collins, Contract Manager for Shropshire Community Leisure Trust.  She heard about the extraordinary community effort behind the restoration of this much-loved and important local facility.

Thanks to the incredible generosity and determination of the local community, an impressive £250,000 was raised in just one year.  This combined with  funding from Shropshire Council’s capital programme, and CIL (community infrastructure levy) funding, this remarkable achievement has enabled the swimming pool to be beautifully restored and secured for the enjoyment and benefit of the community for many years to come.

The project is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose. The restored pool is not only an important sporting and leisure facility, but also a valued asset at the heart of Bishop’s Castle and the surrounding area.

With the swimming pool restoration now complete, the SpArC Charity is looking ahead to its next exciting challenge. A new fundraising appeal has been launched to improve the lighting and seating in the SpArC Theatre, helping to ensure that this much-loved venue can continue to entertain, inspire and bring the community together for generations to come

Earlier in the day, Mrs Turner visited Stokesay Primary School in Craven Arms where the recent Ofsted inspection had brought particularly exciting news for the school community.

Under Ofsted’s newer inspection framework, the school demonstrated strong performance across all areas, with its approach to Inclusion receiving the highest possible recognition of “Exceptional”.

Mrs Turner met with the Headteacher, William Vaughan together with staff and pupils, to personally congratulate them on this achievement. She praised the whole school community for its hard work and commitment, and joined in celebrating a result of which everyone at Stokesay Primary School can be immensely proud.

Mrs Turner also visited Enterprise House in Bishop’s Castle, where she was shown around by Centre Manager Polly Owen as part of its 30th-anniversary celebrations. For three decades, Enterprise House has been a valuable resource centre at the heart of the local community, providing a home for a wide range of essential services and organisations.

These include the town’s library, Dial-a-Ride, Going Wild in Bishop’s Castle, Arts Alive, Walter’s Workshop, IT services and a variety of other community activities and initiatives.

During her visit, Mrs Turner heard about the contribution Enterprise House has made to life in Bishop’s Castle and the wider South Shropshire community.

Reflecting on her day in South Shropshire, Mrs Turner said

“It has been a real privilege to spend the day in South Shropshire and to hear about the extraordinary achievements of so many dedicated people and organisations. The strength of community spirit, determination and ambition I have seen today is truly inspiring.”