Brighton Society for the Blind has been helping the blind and partially sighted since 1860. We help hundreds of visually impaired people a year and in 1998 opened a hydrotherapy pool to offer aid to physically disabled people across Sussex.

We had three reasons for building our hydrotherapy pool:

• A safe environment for visually impaired people to swim

• A place for physically disabled members to gain therapy

• A place for local disabled people to gain therapy

Many local groups for people with disabilities, such as osteoporosis come to our pool for therapy. Groups which previously used a local standard pool have joined us because they find exercising in the warm water brings much better results for their members. We like to think the friendly atmosphere of our building also encourages them.

Richard became disabled in his early fifties and when he first came to the pool relied on two walking sticks to aid his walking and on his wife to be driven to and from our centre. After several months of regular sessions he only occasionally needs to use a single walking stick, and can drive himself. He has found his increased mobility a great lift to his spirits and his health in general has benefited from the exercise.

Margaret has used a wheelchair for much of her life. She has occasionally gained hydrotherapy from a hospital twenty miles away but finds the short number of sessions are not enough to give her the help she requires. She now comes to our pool regularly and finds her limited mobility has increased and pain in her joints is reduced. In the pool she is able to move around whilst standing, which relieves strain on her internal organs caused by having to constantly sit or lay horizontal.

Sally is seven, visually impaired, brain damaged and multi-disabled. Her special needs, including a gastric feeding tube to her stomach, mean she has difficulty using a standard swimming pool. In our pool she has started to learn to swim and her control over her body out of the pool has improved. While Sally is never going to be able to swim as well as other children, she gains a great deal of enjoyment by being able to do something fun and without her cumbersome wheelchair.

Oxford Hoist - this wheeled hoist can pick clients up out of wheelchairs and transfer them easily to a changing table. The hoist can lift a person weighing up to 25 stones in comfort, this would usually take several carers and with the hoist will be far less distressing for the client. The hoist costs £1,080.00

Changing table - with a changing table a severely disabled person can be lifted from their wheelchair to the table for changing, then from it straight in to the pool by our poolside hoist. If necessary, the top of the table can detach and be lifted in to the water with the client. After their therapy, the person can also be showered while on the table. The table is height adjustable and has cot sides to ensure the client is safe whilst moving. The changing table costs £700.00

Showering wheelchair - this specially designed chair is suitable for use in showers and standing in the very humid environment of a hydrotherapy pool. The pool environment has to be kept clean and standard wheelchairs cannot be used poolside, a showering wheelchair allows clients to be transferred easily from their own chair or changing table to the poolside. It will cost £150.00

Hoist slings - these fit to our poolside hoist or to the Oxford hoist (above), offering a comfortable lifting method for clients who cannot use the steps to enter the pool. Due to wear the slings have to be replaced regularly. They cost £345.00 each.

Body dryers - like a long, vertical hair dryer, these devices allow a person with limited mobility to dry themselves with minimal attention from a carer. As well as being quick and hygienic, they give the disabled person an extra level of independence and privacy. We require four dryers, costing £1,000.00 in total.

The pool is open to anyone with a disability. If you would like to use the pool, please contact Frank Wright on 01273 507251