MASC 1893-2016

Macclesfield Amateur Swimming Club, (MASC), has been teaching locals to swim since 1893.

But, thanks to Cheshire East – that’s about to end.

Everybody Sports and Recreation (ESAR), set up by Cheshire East, will be running leisure facilities in future – and they’ve decided there’s no room for the Macclesfield volunteers at the Leisure Centre.

The Macclesfield Express reports Janice Whitelaw, chairman of MASC, which currently runs weekly half-hour lessons from the pool, is ‘furious’ the historic club is being pushed out.

Janice, 71, said: “Our club has existed since 1893. I’ve been with the club 38 years and refusing to let us hire the pool anymore is awful. We are absolutely furious.”

“Swimming is a life skill. The parents of children who have lessons with us are absolutely appalled and we’ve had 92 letters of support from them.”

The club, which has 135 members, offers lessons every Tuesday from 7 pm to 9 pm, charging participants £145 for 48 weeks (£3 a week) to cover the cost of the pool.

Some lessons are being stopped by April 1 this year and the remainder by April 2017, with future lessons provided exclusively at Macclesfield Leisure Centre by ESAR which delivers leisure facilities for Cheshire East Council.

According to Janice the loss of the discounted club will mean some children will be unable to have lessons.

She said: “ESAR charge around £100 more for the equivalent which, with a few children, becomes prohibitively expensive.”

“And Macclesfield Leisure Centre don’t have the teaching staff to cover evening classes.”

“We don’t know where to go from here.”

Chris Whalley, whose children Alfie, six, and Libby, seven, attend the club, said: “It’s ridiculous that after 123 years, there is no room for anyone other than ESAR to run lessons.

“The volunteers at MASC all give up their own time and are so nice.”

According to the Macclesfield Express report a spokesman from ESAR said: “MASC has been hiring Macclesfield Swimming Pool under a previous agreement which is no longer viable with Everybody Sport and Recreation and not consistent with our other facility hire agreements.”

The spokesman added a recruitment drive for swimming teachers in Macclesfield had taken place.

It’s understood the teaching side of the Satellites of Macclesfield Swimming Club, which holds classes at the leisure centre, will also be taken over by ESAR.

MASC were awarded swim21 club accreditation in 2014. The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) said at the time: “MASC are one of the first to achieve swim21 club Essential and the panel recognise the work of volunteers to achieve this.”