Swimming Archives - Just Do More!

Determined amputee defies the odds

A determined amputee who was told she would never walk again is defying the odds, thanks in part to the help she’s received from our in-water, instructor-led Water Wellbeing programme at Eckington Active.

Tina (72) from Killamarsh has Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia – a rare cancer which cannot be cured, affecting the bone marrow and white blood cells.

She has suffered with the condition for 12 years, but last year was also given the devastating news that the artery in her left leg had failed and the limb would need amputating.

Tina, said: “I was driving one day and the next day I was in hospital. The artery just stopped working.

“I was numb at first when I got the news, but it was kind of you have your leg off or lose your life.

“I was in hospital for a week after having the leg removed.

“The surgeon said I’d never walk again, but I started walking only four months later.”

To help build up the muscles needed to hold the weight of a prosthetic leg, in March 2024 Tina was one of the first to attend our Water Wellbeing classes.

Adult and separate child sessions, which take place every Wednesday in the pool at Eckington Active, are aimed at those with injuries, impairments, long-term health conditions or anyone who just struggles to exercise on land, and the good news is you do not need to be a swimmer to take part in the adult sessions.

The class is carried out in the shallow end of the pool and consists of gentle everyday movements using the water as resistance. There is also the option to enjoy a ten-minute swim at the end, or for those less confident, to work with our instructors who will introduce you to some basic confidence skills.

Thanks to the support Tina received from the wellbeing team, in just over eight months she was able to develop the core strength and balance needed to walk correctly and was given a new high-tech bionic leg which will help her walk more normally.

She’s now able to do all the things she did before, such as driving and shopping trips to Meadowhall.

Tina has praised staff, saying they: “literally got me on my feet after having my left leg amputated above the knee.

“On the evaluation examination, the prosthetic team told me they hadn’t seen such progress in muscular development and balance in such a short time in years.

“This could not have been possible in such a short time, without the dedication, patience and kindness of Ann and her team at Eckington.

“I’m certain that there are many more people like me who would greatly benefit from the expertise as I have.”

Ann Lindley, a Swimming Instructor specialising in Aquaphobics and Disability Swimming as well as being an advocate for ‘Scuba Diving for all’ established the sessions after seeing how beneficial the water was for her own mum who suffers with a condition called Cerebellum Ataxia which affects her balance, co-ordination and speech.

Ann said: “There are very few conditions that stop someone from gaining health benefits by being in water and it doesn’t matter what the body shape is, what’s missing, what isn’t, the water is a great leveller.”

Tina’s sister Margaret, who joins in with the sessions too, said: “Everyone accepts everyone for who they are. There’s no discrimination.”

Ann along with co-worker Rebecca, who is also a swim teacher, is in the pool during these sessions. We offer practical support, encouragement and promote a feeling of social belonging with lots of chatter.

Tina says she was turned down by some centres because of her disability, before finding Eckington Active could cater for her needs.

Eckington Active has Swim England’s Water Wellbeing Accreditation, putting it in an elite group of facilities which are championed for their accessibility and inclusivity.

The centre has a range of equipment to help people with disabilities, including hoists and disabled changing.

No membership or referral is needed to join the Water Wellbeing sessions, but we will need you to fill in a medical form.

Visit our website www.justdomore.co.uk for more information about Water Wellbeing and all our facilities or give Eckington Active a call on 01246 217481.

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Pool closures Dronfield

The swimming pools at Dronfield Active will be undergoing a £175k makeover shortly, meaning some facilities will be out of action while the improvements take place.

The swimming pools will be closed from Monday 25 November 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025 inclusive, while work takes place to re-line the pool, fit new energy-saving pool covers and triple glazed windows and decorate the poolside and changing rooms.

Remedial works will also be taking place behind the scenes in the plant room, including installing a new energy and a cost-saving variable speed filtration system, to keep operations running smoothly.

Meanwhile, our sports halls will also be having a facelift, with work taking place during the centre’s Christmas closedown to chemically clean and re-seal the floors.

North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Kathy Rouse said: “We recently carried out upgrades to the fitness suites at both Dronfield Active and Eckington Active and these latest works are just another way of improving facilities for the benefit of our customers.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused while these essential maintenance works take place, but once done, swimmers will be able to benefit from fresh-look changing rooms and an improved swimming environment, while sports hall users will be able to enjoy an improved playing surface.”

Money for the pool energy saving works has come from the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund Grant – £70k secured earlier in the year – with the rest funded by the council’s capital investment programme.

Don’t worry the improvements won’t take long! Remember your membership at Dronfield Active means you can also use our other centres as you would do at Dronfield, so you can swim at Eckington Active while the works take place.

If you have a swimming membership, information about how the closure will affect you can be found here.

For more information, visit justdomore.co.uk or keep an eye on Dronfield Active’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/dronfieldactive

Embrace Vegetarian Week!

This Vegetarian Week, our leisure centre cafés at Dronfield, Eckington and Killamarsh invites you to explore the delicious and health-boosting world of vegetarian cuisine with a special offer of 20% off our vegetarian & vegan sandwiches.

With an increasing awareness of the benefits of plant-based diets for both personal health and the environment, we are proud to offer a variety of tasty vegetarian options that cater to all ages and preferences.

There are a number of Health benefits to eating vegetarian food including:

Reduces the risk of heart disease by up to 25%
Reduces the risk of some cancers
Reduces the risk of diabetes

Not only that, there’s a large environmental impact too including:

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as not coming from farm produce
Reduction in carbon footprint, which helps reduce deforestation globally
Reduction in the use of land, water and oil resources

Join Us This National Vegetarian Week 1 October – 7 October, where we challenge you to swap your usual meal for one of our delicious vegetarian dishes.

Not only will you be making a healthier choice for yourself, but you’ll also be contributing to a more sustainable planet.

Visit our leisure centre cafés to discover the benefits of vegetarian eating.

Share your experience on social media using #VegetarianWeek, #EatGreen, and #HealthyEating!

Eckington Fitness Suite £182K Refurbishments

Exciting news for Just Do More members!

£182k investment in the Fitness Suite at Eckington Active to keep
North East Derbyshire residents active.
As part of our commitment to promoting a community with lifelong good health,
North-East Derbyshire District Council is injecting £182k into Eckington Active to
refurbish the Fitness Suite at the end of October 2024.
The Fitness Suite will be closed from Monday 14th October and re-open on Monday
28th October, during which time the décor and flooring will be refreshed and new
equipment installed. Members will see all new Pulse Fitness equipment with an
expanded free weight area, along with the addition of a functional area with an Indigo
Fitness rig. 3D images are available to view in the Fitness Suite giving an indication of
how it will look once the project is complete.
Members who attend Studio Cycle classes will be excited to hear that we are also
getting new Keiser UK bikes.
During the closure why not continue training at either Killamarsh Active or Dronfield
Active where your Just Do More membership is valid at all our sites.
If you want to continue exercising at Eckington while the Fitness Suite refurbishment
takes place, we will be adding free swimming in public & lane swimming sessions to
anyone who has gym use included in their membership.
Members not wishing to take advantage of these alternative options can contact
reception to freeze their membership for a period of one month.
Details of closures and what facilities will be available in the centres will be posted
onto the Council’s website www.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk and within the facilities
themselves.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this refurbishment but are sure you
will agree the end result will be worthwhile

Dronfield and Eckington Fitness Suite Refurbishments

Exciting news for Just Do More members!

Refurbishments of the fitness suites at Dronfield and Eckington will take place in the Autumn of 2024.

North East Derbyshire have appointed five high quality equipment suppliers adopting a best in class approach to enhance the look, quality and feel of the areas.

Pulse Fitness, Indigo Fitness, Keiser, Total Gym and Box12 will provide the latest equipment that has been carefully selected in line with current and emerging fitness trends.

Please see below some example images of how the new gym will look at Dronfield Active.

In Winter 2024/early 2025, redevelopment of Clay Cross Active will see a brand new state of the art fitness suite introduced at the site.

Alongside this, Clay Cross Active will see the introduction of a power assisted Wellness Suite. This will broaden our membership offer particularly for those wanting to use this type of equipment for preventative and rehabilitative measures.