Behind the scenes at Atlantis Leisure

Just like that, we’re being reminded by The Oban Times to put our clocks back. Where has this month gone? At Atlantis, it’s gone into lots of little things. Read on to find out what we got up to in October.

Staff news – ‘the team that doesn’t stop moving’:

It’s amazing what the Atlantis team manages to fit into a few weeks and October has been no different. Marianne Gordon and Mandy Anfield both dived headlong into their aqua courses, qualifying together at the end of the month. It’s brilliant to have them help swell numbers on the pool team. Dugald Munro followed suit with his own upskill training – qualifying as RPM instructor this month.

You might have seen on our social media that we’ve had to get a little creative with class cover due to instructor injury lately. We’ve been blown away by the support from former Atlantis team members. It’s great to have Jemma, Kelly and Mark back in the programme, as well as Jack, who yet again crossed the country to help out. Aside from allowing classes to run, these guys bring mischief and fun back into the centre and keep us all on our toes.

Centre life – the leaky roof and the squeaky pool:

After the excitement of our new sports hall curtains last month, we were brought back down to earth with the discovery of a leak in the roof above them. This is a tricky problem to fix as it’s such an enormous roof. Finding the source and cause of the leak is a challenge.

However, with the help of our contractors and external specialists, we should have things back to normal soon. In the meantime, thank you for your tolerance of the odd bucket and mop as we keep Atlantis running at full tilt while we fix the leak.

We’re always on the lookout for ways we can increase Atlantis’ efficiency and reduce our environmental impact. One of the best ways we can do that is by keeping on top of our regular maintenance schedule. This month that meant completing the annual service of the swimming pool covers. These help to minimise overnight heatloss which allows us to use less energy bringing the pools back to temperature in the morning.

This was the final service for these current covers, however, as they are due to be replaced next year.

Our biomass boiler was repaired this month. This allows a return to burning fewer fossil fuels and reducing our environmental impact.

Toilet twinning – ‘loose change changes loos’:

Atlantis is for the community, by the community, and we absolutely love when that freedom allows us to be flexible and creative in helping others. One of our younger community members has fully grasped what it means to make a difference and this month came to us with a proposal that we can only describe as a ‘no-brainer’.

Nine-year-old Finlay Wilson, a student at Atlantis’s Oban Swim School, saved up his pocket money so that he could twin toilets at Atlantis and Lochnell Primary School.

Toilet twinning connects a loo here in the UK with a toilet in an impoverished community. This can be in any one of the many places throughout the world where people don’t have access to proper sanitary provision. Funds raised through toilet twinning help to improve services.

Finlay realised how easy it was to make a big difference and asked if Atlantis might like to join him: ‘no-brainer’. We’re fundraising as a staff team to twin Atlantis’s toilets, so look out for Finlay’s posters around the centre.

PWTAG Award – ‘the first Scottish PoolMark’:

Last month we told you how Atlantis was in the running to be awarded Scotland’s first Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group’s PoolMark award. Well, we did it.

The PoolMark acts as an assurance that the pool meets essential healthy pool operational standards. It’s a fantastic achievement and we’re proud our commitment to your health and safety can be recognised in this way. Look out for the plaque going up on the wall in the coming weeks.

Atlantis in the community - making a difference beyond the centre:

At Atlantis we want to honour the community’s long-standing support by backing projects outside the centre.

This month, that meant our annual visit to Eader Glinn nursing home. A number of staff headed up to chat and spend time with residents. Together with physiotherapist Ruth Sunderland, they led residents in light exercises which can be repeated daily. We love our visits to Eadar Glinn and really value this important, quality time with our seniors.

Our StayActive programme continues to develop as we grow the ways in which we support Lorn and Oban Healthy Options’ clients who have come to the end of their three-month programmes.

Since introducing StayActive in May, we have welcomed more than 100 new customers and are enjoying getting to know this community within a community.

Donna’s adventures to Easdale and Dalmally continue. She holds weekly classes for residents in these areas, drawing on the same content as StayActive classes run in the centre. It’s great to get out and about and hold these classes in the community. If you would like to join any of these classes, or would like to speak to us about holding an additional class elsewhere, please get in touch.