New Earswick Swimming Club is celebrating its 50th birthday tomorrow with a reunion. STEPHEN LEWIS reports

ON August 18, 1967, the Yorkshire Evening Press ran a small news item. "New pool nearly ready," the headline proclaimed.

The pool in question was being built behind New Earswick Folk Hall for the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust. And it sounded like a beauty: an indoor heated pool measuring 60 feet by 30 feet and with state-of-the-art chlorination and filtration systems.

One of the features of the new pool was that water came up almost to the rim - which meant there was no need for ladders.

More than 50 years later, hundreds of people are still swimming regularly at New Earswick. Many, though by no means all, are members of the New Earswick Swimming Club, which formed shortly after the new pool opened, in the autumn of 1967.

The club has taught hundreds, if not thousands, of children to swim in the 50 years since then. And tomorrow (Saturday) it is planning a reunion of members past and present to mark its 50th birthday.

There will be plenty of stories of past triumphs and successes - the club has a thriving competitive swimming programme, and past heroes (and heroines) include the likes of Alan Betteridge, Emily Broadbent, James Richards and Victoria Clapham who, in 1998 at the age of 16, became the club's first ever Yorkshire Champion. "So we're looking forward to hearing stories, and also to seeing memorabilia - old trophies, old photos and the like," says the club's membership secretary Mike Peters.

The club is also hoping to learn a bit more about its own history. None of the current members were around 50 years ago, says Mike - so no-one knows exactly when the club was formed, or why.

What they do know is that the club was launched some time in the autumn of 1967 (so not long after the new pool opened) by a group of like-minded volunteers who wanted to teach children from the York area to swim.

Among the founder-members was Mr Sheriff, then headmaster at New Earswick School, Grace and Fred Lee, and Colin Cameron.

"Early leaders at the club included Stewart Hunter and Eddy Durrant," adds Mike. "Today, the club has annual award trophies, given to swimmers who make excellent progress, which are named in honour of Stewart and Eddie in recognition of the contribution they made."

So that's something. "But we are eager to find out more about our early history," Mike says.

What's for sure is that the club thrived. At one point it was the largest swimming club in Yorkshire, with more than 1500 registered members.

Numbers have dropped since that high point. But it is still a thriving club of 500 members from young children to people of retirement age.

Competitive swimming has always been one of the club's strong points. There's a strong coaching and training programme for children, led by qualified volunteer coaches and teachers - many of whom came up through the club themselves.

But the club isn't all about competition. It runs recreational swimming sessions, too, for those of all ages who just want to enjoy themselves or get some exercise.

The health benefits of swimming are well-known, says Mike. "It keeps up your fitness, and it's good for mobility - we often have older people coming because they have joint problems." But it's great for families, too, he says. "It's something they can do together."

Anyone interested in finding out more can turn up tomorrow for the reunion.

It isn't, sadly, being held around the pool itself. That will be in use for a swimming session, Mike points out. And anyway, hot water and old photos (of which there could be many in circulation) don't really mix.

So the reunion will be held in the nearby New Earswick Friends Meeting House instead, from 1-4pm.

Entry will be free. But the event will be a fundraiser as well as a reunion. Money made from coffee, tea and cake will be split between the swimming club itself and Macmillan Cancer Support.

New Earswick Swimming Club factfile

• The club has a flourishing Learn To Swim scheme and a competitive training section which sees swimmers competing at county and regional level as well as against other clubs from across North Yorkshire.

• Being a volunteer-run organisation means the club can keep prices low. Membership is £176/ year for a family of four, £88 for a single adult and £68 for a junior or senior over 65. This entitles you to up to eight hours of free swimming a week, though coaching costs are extra

• The club mostly swims at New Earswick pool but also at St Peters and The Mount.

• The club has 500 members, including families and retired people. But new members are welcome. For more information call 01904 626815 or email membership.nesc@gmail.com

Case study

Mike Smith joined the club in 1970 to encourage his son Andrew and daughter Sue to learn to swim, and also so that he could swim himself.

"Within 2wo years I was pressed into joining the coaching team as a volunteer, passing coaching exams and then helping and encouraging young swimmers to do their best at the many competitive galas that were held at swimming clubs in the Yorkshire area," he says.

One of the highlights hen remembers was a gala held at Kirkcaldy where the local club provided accommodation for swimmers and parents. "This was followed by a similar effort by the New Earswick Swimming Club Members."

His children never attained national standard as swimmers. But they did enjoy the competitive aspects of the club swimming in many Yorkshire Events," Mike says.

"All in all a very happy and interesting part of my family's life for about 15 years, with fond memories of making many friends. It is pleasing to note that the club and its volunteers are still providing this valuable service to the many youngsters in the area."