16 Aug 2026

Penrith Swimming Club says it has been overwhelmed by the extraordinary public response to its campaign to protect the future of its swimming provision, as hundreds of people from Penrith, Eden and across the world have added their voices in support of the 145-year-old club.

Since launching its campaign, the club has received messages from former swimmers, parents, coaches and volunteers sharing stories of what Penrith Swimming Club has meant to them and their families.

For some, the club was where they first discovered competitive swimming. For others, it provided lifelong friendships, qualifications, confidence, volunteering opportunities and careers in sport.

The impact of the club can be seen through generations of people associated with it.

Former Penrith swimmer Chloe Wilcox went on to captain Great Britain's first Olympic Women's Water Polo team at London 2012. Ian Powley has dedicated more than seven decades to developing swimming in Penrith and Cumbria. The late Jenny Birtle taught thousands of people to swim across Eden and played an instrumental role in raising funds for the Frenchfield Teaching Pool. Rosie Huggon has contributed to the club for almost 60 years as a swimmer, teacher, coach, team manager and volunteer, while internationally recognised open-water figure Colin Hill continues his association with the club.

Their stories represent only a fraction of the thousands of people whose lives have been touched by Penrith Swimming Club since it was founded in 1881.

Council reaches out to swimming club

The campaign follows a proposal by GLL/Better, which operates Penrith Leisure Centre on behalf of Westmorland and Furness Council, to prevent Penrith Swimming Club from continuing the introductory swimming provision through which it develops children towards club and competitive swimming.

The club also strongly disputed a number of claims contained in information subsequently provided by Westmorland and Furness Council to Penrith.Town, arguing that the statement contained inaccuracies and did not properly reflect the club's position or the historic arrangements at Penrith Leisure Centre.

Following the strength of the public response, Westmorland and Furness Council has now reached out to Penrith Swimming Club.

The club has welcomed that contact and says it wants to work constructively with both the Council and GLL to find a positive, long-term solution.

However, Penrith Swimming Club remains firm in its position that its introductory swimming provision must be protected along with the whole club.

A spokesperson for Penrith Swimming Club said:

“We want to work with Westmorland and Furness Council and GLL. If historic arrangements need to be formalised or strengthened, we are ready to sit around the table and do that.

“But our position remains clear. Penrith Swimming Club must be allowed to continue developing young swimmers towards club and competitive swimming. This provision is fundamental to the future of our club.”

The Power of Penrith

The club says the response to the campaign has demonstrated something much bigger than swimming.

It has demonstrated the power of Penrith's community.

Penrith Swimming Club is run entirely by volunteers. Its relationship with swimming in the town stretches back 145 years, from its historic home at Frenchfield on the River Eamont to Penrith Leisure Centre today.

In the early 1990s, club members helped drive the creation of the Frenchfield Teaching Pool, with Penrith Swimming Club contributing approximately £40,000 towards its construction.

Today, the club continues to invest substantially in local swimming, spending approximately £40,000 each year on facility hire at Penrith Leisure Centre.

The club now wants the wider community to help demonstrate just how much volunteer-led sport matters to Penrith.

A call to Penrith's businesses, sports clubs and organisations

Penrith Swimming Club is issuing a direct call to every sports club, business, school, community group and organisation across Penrith and Eden:

Stand with us.

Businesses and organisations are being asked to:

• Sign and share the club's petition
• Display a Save Penrith Swimming Club poster in their shop, workplace or premises
• Provide a short letter or statement of support
• Share the campaign through their social media channels and networks
• Encourage staff, members, customers and supporters to add their voices

The club has now set an ambitious target of more than 2,000 petition signatures.

A club spokesperson added:

“We have been overwhelmed by the response. People from Penrith and across the world have contacted us to tell us what this club gave them.

“Now we want the whole town to get behind us. If you run a shop, put our poster in your window. If you're involved with another sports club, share our petition. If you're a local organisation or business, send us a letter of support.

“We want more than 2,000 signatures so that when we sit down with the Council and GLL, there can be absolutely no doubt about the strength of feeling in this community.

“This isn't about refusing to work together. We want a partnership and a positive solution. But we will stand firm for the provision generations of Penrith people have worked so hard to build.

This is the power of Penrith.”

SIGN THE PETITION

The public can support the campaign here:

Sign the Save Penrith Swimming Club petition: https://c.org/2mZRdq26qG

Businesses, sports clubs, schools and community organisations wishing to display a campaign poster can download it here: https://docs.swimclubmanager.co.uk/download-document/F75D3BBF-F865-4E8F-8237-A7DBE87FA549  

Or provide a letter of support can contact:

[email protected]

145 years behind us. Our future ahead.

#WeArePenrith #ThisMeansMore #SavePenrithSwimmingClub

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