Rainbow Reef Daycare chooses a charity every year to raise money for by walking 1000 Miles in March. This year we have chosen Swim Narberth CIO as they need help raising £40,000. This pool has been and is still used by children who attend Rainbow Reef and staff too! We feel that with your help, we can help them make a difference.

11 years ago the Narberth community stepped in to save the swimming pool from permanent closure. At the time, funding had disappeared and the future of the pool was uncertain. Since then, the community has not only kept the pool open, but has gone on to demonstrate just how valuable an asset it is to the town and the wider area. Today, the pool is thriving.

Each week, over 1,000 people come through their doors. They teach more than 500 children to swim every week, providing vital, life-saving skills in a safe and supportive environment. Alongside their core swimming programme, they run Aquafit classes five times a week, host their 55+ Club twice weekly, support local clubs,

and deliver inclusive sessions that help reduce isolation and improve wellbeing.

This year alone, they have also been proud to receive a national swimming award and achieve a formal swimming programme accreditation, recognising the quality, safety and standards of what they deliver — and helping cement Narberth’s place as a leading community swimming facility in Wales.

To remain safe, sustainable and fit for future generations, the pool now requires significant investment. The roof was never replaced when the charity took over the pool in 2014 and has since deteriorated to the point where it is leaking and causing ongoing operational and maintenance issues. Alongside this, other

ageing systems within the building are becoming increasingly inefficient and costly to run.

This forms part of a wider £338,000 improvement and sustainability project. To give clarity on what this

figure represents, the project costs are broadly made up of the following essential elements:

• Roof replacement – approx. £145,000

Full replacement of the existing roof, which was never fully completed when the charity took over the pool and is now leaking in multiple areas. This work protects the building structure, prevents

further damage, and reduces heat loss.

• High-efficiency air-handling and ventilation system – approx. £120,000

Replacement of ageing plant with modern, energy-efficient systems designed specifically for a swimming pool environment. This will improve air quality, comfort for swimmers and staff, and

significantly reduce energy use.

• Solar PV upgrade and reinstatement – approx. £35,000 Repairing and upgrading the existing solar system so it operates efficiently, reducing reliance on

grid electricity and lowering carbon emissions.

• Electrical and mechanical integration and commissioning – approx. £20,000 Supporting works required to safely integrate new systems, upgrade controls, and ensure everything operates together efficiently.

• Professional fees, surveys and compliance – approx. £18,000 Structural surveys, design work, project management, and health and safety compliance required

for a public facility.

Total project cost: approximately £338,000

Every pound raised locally contributes directly to these essential works and helps unlock the wider public

funding needed to deliver them.

They have applied to the Welsh Government Community Facilities Programme for £300,000 towards this

work. However, to unlock this funding, they must raise approximately £40,000 in match funding.

That £40,000 directly contributes to these essential works and acts as the key that unlocks the remaining

public investment. Without it, the project — and the opportunity to secure the pool’s long-term future — cannot proceed.

Thank you all for your support!