The Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) is renowned as a multi-award winning, regional charity committed to help improve the lives and health of local communities. PCP is proud to manage the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe, and after over 25 years of success, some areas need a bit of a refresh!
People come from far and wide to access one of the only full accessible hydrotherapy pools in the North East. Previously offering over 17,000 appointments every year, it was well loved but ever-so-slightly tired with outdated plant equipment, which meant the odd breakdown or two.
Carol Gaskarth, PCP’s Chief Executive, said, “People who access hydrotherapy report significant health benefits, but we were finding it difficult to keep the pool operational with many parts obsolete.
Photo: Vicky Browning, PCP Operations Manager, Carol Gaskarth, PCP Chief Executive, Jonathan Hall, Site Manager, Gayle Goldsmith, PCP Project Development Manager, and Joe Berry, PCP Facilities Supervisor.
“This led us to re-look at the Pioneering Care Centre overall, and we concluded Options, a co-produced service for adults with learning and physical disabilities, also needed more space. Operation ‘Centre Renovation’ was born! After years of planning, community fundraising and securing grants, and with post-pandemic building costs spiraling, PCP agreed to fund almost £1m from charitable reserves. The organisation is built on the foundation of being ‘pioneering’; we keep this in the forefront of our planning, and we recognise the value the Pioneering Care Centre brings to the community.
“This significant investment from the charity will see the number of people able to access hydrotherapy double and, with state-of-the-art facilities, upgraded jets, new changing facilities and improved accessibility throughout. The renovations to the hydrotherapy pool will offer clients a fully brand new pool - the experience will be second-to-none.
“Our Options members are incredibly excited and can’t wait to use their extended space. They’ve loved being involved in picking colours, the kitchen and now they’re looking at room layout, furniture and what techy kit they can squeeze in! They have so many ideas I can hardly keep up!”
Building work is underway and we look forward to welcoming even more people to use the Pioneering Care Centre later in 2024.