A short film starring children at a Deptford primary school has highlighted the importance of a local leisure pool at threat of permanent closure.

The future of Wavelengths Leisure Centre, which been closed to swimmers since the first lockdown, is in doubt after Lewisham council suggested its £400,000 annual running costs are unaffordable.

Filmmaker Lucy Parker volunteered her services to support a campaign to save the facility, interviewing pupils at Invicta Primary, who shared their thoughts.

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Save Wavelengths campaigner Kate De La Motta, who helped arrange the film, said: “We know from listening to The Black Swimming Asssociation that 80% of Black children leave primary school unable to swim.

“Invicta Primary, Deptford has worked hard to ensure they have a school full of swimmers, by investing in weekly lessons at Wavelengths.

“The children have been learning about social equality, activism and healthy lifestyles.

“So, the film was a perfect project.”

“Student Sonny, year 3, designed a petition to save Wavelengths for all classes in the school, the kids also wrote letters to the Mayor Damien Egan.

“We thought it important to capture both the fun memories all the kids have of the leisure pool as well as the how fundamental the facility is to the community to provide a healthy, affordable activity to all families.

“This closure will impact most on the kids of our community, so we felt it vital that Lewisham Council hear their voices.

Lewisham’s cabinet member with responsibility for leisure met a group of concerned residents last week, telling them that, while the council could cover the £700,000 repair costs needed to reopen, the £400,000 annual running costs would require cutting other areas.

Cllr Bourne stressed the that the pandemic has put the leisure industry under "huge strain", forcing closures and restricting services due to the need for social distancing.

He added that pools are "especially expensive to maintain", highlighting ongoing Government cuts to council budgets.

Great Britain pro-swimmer Alice Dearing, who is also co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, has thrown her support behind the campaign. 

She said: "This pool serves three large and diverse communities, Lewisham, Southwark and Greenwich.

"It is located in the Evelyn Ward which has a child poverty rate of 49 per cent.

"The residents are predominantly black and the closure will only affect their community more after the devastating effects of Covid lifestyle and health in the UK.

Residents have launched a petition, already signed by more than 3,500 people, calling on the mayor and council to “work with the local community to reopen the leisure pool at prices that remain affordable to all”.