Generous sponsorship has helped members of Dawlish-based 7XTREME swim club transform a previously-unused cellar at Dawlish Leisure Centre into a multi-functional training room. What started out as a rough unfinished room with uneven concrete floor and bare block walls has ended up as a levelled, carpeted, painted and fully-equipped land training facility and classroom. The Dawlish Leisure Centre 7X training room was officially opened by Cllr David Cox, Teignbridge Council leisure and tourism portfolio holder. After a speech of welcome and thanks to all the sponsors, parents and helpers by project co-ordinator Lyn Whybra, Cllr Cox cut a ceremonial ribbon and presented 7XTREME Swim Club chairman Yvonne Swann with a wall plaque commemorating the partnership. Cllr Cox said he was impressed that a training facility had been created through the generosity of local businesses; the cost of materials donated by them was more than £600. He congratulated the team of volunteers on their efforts and the community spirit that existed within the club. He commented that he had 'great respect for such determined young people whose commitment to their training programmes both in and out of the water was a credit to themselves and their club'. The 7X training room will be regularly used by club members to carry out land training exercises and core strength work to complement the 12-plus hours per week they spend in the swimming pool. 7X swimmers have been supported personally in their exercise programme by sports physiotherapist Maureen Flett, who has worked at international level with triathletes and is author of the core stability programme. The close partnership between 7X and Dawlish Swimming Club was evident in its donation of a rack of dumbbell weights for the swimmers. A set of rails for muscle strengthening and endurance work were supplied and fitted by Barry Priestly, of Complete Door and Window, one of the firms backing 7X. Teignbridge assistant leisure officer (east), Ian Matthews, manager of the leisure centre, welcomed the new training room as a much needed additional facility. He said: 'As an ASA and RLSS registered training centre it is vital that we have a suitable classroom. 'Thanks to 7XTREME Swim Club and at no cost to Teignbridge council tax payers we have one to be proud of. 'I am also very grateful to Garry Mitchell, one of my duty managers, who was instrumental in getting the room created when some structural changes were made to the cellar area last year. 'My staff and I will be using the 7X Training room for staff meetings, staff training and a range of other training courses that we intend to host at Dawlish Leisure Centre. Among those instrumental in providing the training room were Market Carpets, of Exeter; Jewsons Builders Merchants, of Totnes; and builder Dean Pearce. of David Pearce and Son Ltd.
