Page 41 - Real Rochdale Issue 22 Summer 2024

New Castleton hydro pool sessions

funded for Parkinson’s sufferers

Castleton Health and Leisure Centre is now
home to a long-awaited hydrotherapy pool
which offers funded sessions for sufferers of
Parkinson’s disease.

‘HydRose’ is the legacy of the late Rose
Richardson, who was diagnosed with
Parkinson’s in the early nineties, and was
advised to visit a hydrotherapy pool to help
manage her pain as her condition worsened.

Rose kickstarted fundraising efforts with her
husband, Dave, in 2016. Their ‘Hydro16’ cam-
paign was awarded a £100,000 grant from
Viridor Limited just six weeks before Rose “His mobility has improved marginally, there’s
passed away. also been a slight reduction with the
Dyskinesia and Vincent’s posture has improved
Now after raising £140,000 over the last eight slightly - also, Vincent’s seen a reduction in
years, the hydrotherapy pool has become a knee pain since starting the sessions.”
reality, and opened its doors at Castleton
Health and Leisure Centre in April 2024. A spokesperson for the pool management team
said: “After years of fundraising by Dave
And thanks to funding from Parkinson’s UK, Richardson along with capital investment from
people with Parkinson’s in the local area will ourselves and a much-appreciated Viridor
also benefit from receiving five hydrotherapy grant as part of their Environmental Credits
sessions with staff assistance, although spaces Scheme, it is great to fully open to the general
are currently limited. public our new HydRose therapy facility.”

Local man Vincent Swift was the first client The leisure centre is currently awaiting
who suffers with Parkinson’s to use the new delivery of an accessible changing bed and
hydro pool. shower stool, so anyone requiring this is
advised to book appointments ahead of time.
His carer Joe said: “Since Vincent started to use
the Hydrotherapy Spa Pool, he’s slowly seen
the benefits of using the facility.

Hydrotherapy sessions can be booked
via the Castleton Health and Leisure
Centre website: www.chandl.co.uk

To enquire about the Parkinson’s funded
sessions, please call the leisure centre
on 01706 353 663.

REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2024 40 41 REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2024