A HEADTEACHER has moved to allay fears that a popular community leisure centre is being sold to a healthcare charity.

Many residents have expressed concerns following rumours that the Ridgeway School had sold the leisure centre it owns to Nuffield Health.

Ridgeway headteacher Steve Colledge has dispelled the rumours as people being misinformed and said the school is in talks with the fitness providers to look at managing the centre for the school.

The aim of the partnership is to ensure the leisure centre is kept at a high standard but many residents who fundraised to ensure that Wroughton had the centre are worried that there could be changes to charges for using the swimming pool and gym.

Mr Colledge said: “We have had negotiations with Nuffield Health about them managing the centre on our behalf, not about them buying it.

“We are in talks because we want to keep it as a first class facility.

“For the first 12 months I don’t expect any changes in the way the centre is run.

“Nuffield run leisure centres at a number of schools and will make it cost effective and delivering the facilities they think will be better for users.

“I am not aware of fundraising for the centre because it has not been during the last 10 years when I have been here.”

Resident Adam Poole said he was worried that the community had not been consulted, especially as they helped raise a substantial amount of money to fund the pool many years ago.

He said: “I have concerns, as do others, that the use of the facilities may become membership only.

“That would effectively stop the local community using facilities like the swimming pool and gym on a pay and go basis, and that also payment would be by monthly standing order/direct debit excluding those that do not have a bank account and those who may not wish to sign up for a minimum 12 month period, like myself.

“I am a PhD student at Cardiff and only spend four or five months a year in the village.

“The pool has been a community asset for 40 years, open to anyone. I don’t see why that should change and I don’t see why the less well off or disadvantaged should be excluded because they don’t have a bank account.”

A spokesman for Nuffield Health said: “Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, is entering into a partnership with Ridgeway School, which will lead to Nuffield Health managing Ridgeway’s Leisure Centre.

"Our aim is to enhance the range and quality of facilities and services available to Ridgeway School and the local community by investing in new equipment.

"We believe the partnership between Nuffield Health and Ridgeway School will enable us to jointly offer an excellent quality of health and fitness provision.

"At this stage, we have not made any decisions about changes to membership.”