RISING energy prices have led a community-run swimming pool to restrict its opening hours and reduce sessions.

Calon Tysul swimming pool and leisure centre has seen costs almost triple in recent months and are forecasted to spend almost £120,000 on heating and lighting in the next year.

The pool draws youngsters from across the region, from Cellan, Llanon and Aberporth, with around 500 children learning to swim through the medium of Welsh at the community-run centre.

These lessons will remain, but opening hours and other services will be reduced to tackle the rising costs.

The board of trustees of the charity held an emergency meeting this week setting out the enormity of the situation and to decide upon immediate measures to stay running during the cost-of-living crisis.

Matt Adams, Calon Tysul Manager, said: “People need to realise that this is a real and present danger to Calon Tysul.

“Swimming pools are being particularly hard hit by soaring energy costs because of the need to keep water and buildings warm throughout the year.

“Over the last few years, staff and volunteers have worked very hard to manage costs and make the Centre sustainable. However, in the last three months, energy costs have nearly tripled. The current forecast is a spend of almost £120,000 on heating and lighting within the next year. Unfortunately, we are forced to reduce services to cope with the situation.”

Following the emergency meeting, restricting opening hours and reducing sessions as well as turning off the dry side boiler and turning lights down are just some of the measures brought in with immediate effect.

Matt added: “The only long-term solution is to use less energy - that’s why we are investing in energy saving technology as well as a new boiler.”

During the past year, Calon Tysul has secured funding from Welsh European Funding Office and Sport Wales to place solar panels on the roof of the leisure centre and install a new heating system in a two-phase project. The project will enable the centre to produce and store electricity for its own use and should lead to a significant reduction in electricity costs.

Matt said, “The surge in energy prices has come too quickly for us to implement the project in time but we are trying our best to accelerate the energy transition, but it is still a few months away.

Calon Tysul will continue to provide as many services as possible to the community to ensure the well-being of the community in this difficult time.

For more information on Calon Tysul services and details about the charity’s work, visit www.calontysul.cymru