The 25 Club – a social swimming club celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023!
“How it all got started” – by Valerie Pinnell, one of the founder members
In the Spring of 1973, a couple of friends and I decided that, as our husbands and children could all swim, we too should learn to swim. We duly enrolled for a course of lessons run by Mr. Sid Barber at Cirencester Sports Centre.
At the end of our course, one of our group, Vera Kershaw, suggested that we might form a Club in order to continue our swimming on a regular basis. We all agreed, and Vera then arranged hire of the Sports Centre Pool for 1 hour from 8.00 ‘til 9.00 on a Monday evening.
The first evening, 8 or 10 of us arrived at the Pool – all feeling rather nervous to be swimming without our instructor present, although there was a Lifeguard on duty. Vera had arranged for a Wilts & Glos Standard photographer to be in attendance, to record the event. He casually called out “Right girls, jump in!” JUMP IN??!! The look of dismay on all our faces at the thought of such a thing was undoubtedly a picture to behold! We were accustomed to gently ambling down the steps into the Pool and could only just about manage to struggle across one width of it – there was no way we were going to be doing any “jumping in”!! He had to make do with a shot of us all standing on the edge of the Pool! The publicity led to Vera receiving a number of calls from people interested in joining the Club.
She then held a meeting at her house in Coates, when a small Committee was formed in order to run the Club. Keith Stocken, whose wife, Margaret, had been one of our group of learner swimmers, was appointed as Chairman, Vera as Treasurer and myself as Secretary.
It was agreed that (1) the name of the Club should be ‘Over 25’ Club, as it was aimed at mainly over 25s who wished to swim for social and exercise reasons rather than competitive swimming; (2) Vera would deal with hiring of the Pool and collecting fees; (3) I would draw up a rota of 2 members to be ‘on the door’ each week, to sign in members and run a small raffle in aid of Club funds.
The Club became so popular that, some years later, we had so many members that it was necessary to book 2 sessions each week – the A Group swimming from 8.00 ‘til 9.00 and the B Group swimming from 9.00 ‘til 10.00. Although membership has diminished in more recent times, back to just one session a week, after 50 years, it is nice to know that, even though Keith and Vera are no longer with us, the Club is still running!
Visitors are welcome to our 25 social swimming club. Swimming for all abilities Contact Mrs Margaret Read 01285 861497
Valerie Pinnell
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