A BRITISH number one swimmer whose career began with her local club in East Cornwall is supporting a campaign to save local pools.

Ruby Griffiths, 15, is ranked No1 for her age in the 400IM and is currently taking part in Swim England’s Talent Event Camp. The teenager from Looe was invited to the Olympic trials earlier this year and has secured a 12-month sponsorship from Swimpath.

Ruby started out in competitive swimming with Caradon Swimming Club in Saltash. She’s passionate about the need to keep pools open – not just for the future elite swimmers such as herself, but for every single child in Cornwall.

A public consultation about the future of leisure provision in the county is currently under way. But Cornwall Council and operator GLL have said that if no organisation or local council comes forward to take on their management, leisure centres in Saltash, Wadebridge and Falmouth will close on March 31, 2022. Launceston is also threatened with closure in 2023, but talks are happening with the Coronation Park Trust, who have indicated their desire to keep the centre there open.

“It’s important that people have easy access to a swimming pool – not everyone can travel 30 minutes to a pool,” says Ruby.

“Swimming is a great way of keeping fit but it’s also important that children have the facilities to learn to swim.

“I urge Cornwall Council to find a way to keep these community facilities.”

Ruby’s dad, Simon, said: “Ruby finds that when she’s in the pool all her pressures go away, and she finds it therapeutic. And she deeply wants to succeed.

“Without these facilities it would almost be impossible to train and fulfil any potential to become a national swimmer.”

Saltash Leisure Centre currently has 500 swimming members – a number that has increased recently. It also hosts the Caradon Swimming Club, who have recently returned to the centre to resume training. The club draws young members from all over East Cornwall and into Devon.

Two meetings are set to take place soon to give members of the public the chance to find out more about the proposals for leisure centres in Cornwall and specifically in Saltash.

The first is an online meeting being run by Cornwall Council and GLL, and will take place on Wednesday (October 13). You can register by visting https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/leisure/widgets/33671/key_dates#8359

The other public meeting will be organised by Saltash Town Council at a time and date to be confirmed.

We’ll have more on the leisure centres story in this week’s edition of The Cornish Times