Our Mission

Mid Argyll Community Pool (MACPool) is a social enterprise enabling the community to swim and take part in exercise, leisure and social activities in support of health and well-being. We deliver this through quality in our facilities, service and partnerships.
Our Story

Mid Argyll Community Pool (MACPool) is a social enterprise, owned and operated by Mid Argyll Community Enterprises Ltd (MACEL), and is a Registered Charity. The swimming pool opened in March 1996 after many years of fundraising by the local community.

Since then it has supported the community of Mid Argyll to stay healthy by providing swimming and water-based exercise for all ages and abilities.

Now, 25 years later, we have taken the plunge and are embarking on an exciting redevelopment to broaden our provision. More than £1.6 million pounds has been raised to transform MACPool into MACPool Activity Hub, which now includes a soft-play area, café and multi-use rooms for hire, suitable for complimentary/physical therapies, classes, meetings and much more, as well as updating our changing village and providing a Changing Place.

Our Impact
On the Environment

Not only do we care about your health but here at MACPool Activity Hub, we care about the planet too. So we are taking steps towards being more environmentally healthy. This includes having a Bio-Mass Boiler which uses local woodchip from Our Power in Cairndow, for our heating and 115 Solar Panels for our electricity. We have a free Water-Refill station, to support the use of water bottles and stopped selling single use plastic bottled water. Our Cafe has chosen to use environmentally friendly: plant-based compostable foodservice packing and just to reassure you, even the kids popular fruit shoot bottles are 100% recyclable! We have a bike shelter to encourage cycling, with easy safe access along the Crinan Canal as well as 2 Electric Car Charging Points. We are also a Rag Bag recycling point.

On the Community

We support a wide range of the ages within our community to improve confidence, fitness and well-being by running a busy swimming and health activities programme year-round, with over 270 local community members and benefits over 500 people annually.

Our Funders

We also have projects funded by Paths For All and the Living Well Fund – Argyll & Bute HSCP

Our Policies

Admissions Policy

Our Partnerships / Links

 

Our Board

Our Board is a multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals who volunteer to support the development and success of the MACPool Activity Hub. They include:

John Gurr

John Gurr

Chairperson

I joined the MACEL Board in May 2020 and became chair in November 2021. I’m keen to support MACPool to ensure it thrives and continues to provide the community with opportunities to learn to swim, exercise and have fun. I am an improving swimmer and am currently learning how to swim properly!

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I am retired with more than 30 years commercial and supply chain management experience working in retail organisations across the UK and internationally. I enjoyed volunteering during my working career, as a school governor and as a trustee for Transaid, a transport industry charity set up to support development work in Africa.

Alison Whitefield

Alison Whitefield

Board Member

I am passionate about helping people to grow and develop as individuals. I see my role on the Board as helping enable people to develop a healthy body and a healthy mind.  I would love to see the MACpool Activity Hub continue to develop as an asset to our community, offering facilities to improve health and wellbeing, and where all members of the community are welcome.  I have been involved with MACpool for several years and joined the Board in October 2021 and I am part of the People, Health and Wellbeing Committee.

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I have lived in Lochgilphead for most of my life, attending primary and secondary school here before heading to university and spending some time travelling before settling down here. A lot of people will know me from Lochgilphead Medical Centre, where I have worked, as a receptionist, for 22 years. I also have a part time role in the Dochas Carers Centre where I head a team of 8 counsellors and mindfulness teachers. In addition, I have my own counselling private practice. I enjoy walking and I lead one of the Health Walks and I also enjoy Zumba, reading and swimming. I am married with two grown up sons.

Kerrien Grant

Kerrien Grant

Board Member

I joined the MACEL Board in November 2022 as I want to help to keep the MACPool Community Hub running sustainably and grow what it can offer to the local community. I have lived and worked in the area for nearly 20 years and supported MACPool with fundraising for the Redevelopment Project and then the Community Hub project delivery. As a Board Member, I now support MACPool staff in fundraising and business development.

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I have a career spanning health, education and social and economic development, and am experienced at fundraising and project management. I am a Director of SKS Scotland CIC, providing support to a wide range of social enterprises and communities, particularly in asset ownership and management. I also run my own business and hold an MSc in Social Enterprise. I am a keen swimmer and have benefitted hugely from having a great pool in Mid Argyll over the years, so want to ensure that it continues to provide swimming and health opportunities for everyone for the long term.
 

Stewart Turner

Stewart Turner

Board Member

Stewart joined the MACEL Board in May 2022, and he is Chair of the Asset Management sub-committee. Stewart has undertaken many areas of volunteering locally including being a Member of both Glassary Primary and Lochgilphead High School Boards; Local Authority representative on the Scottish School Board Association; a member of the local Childrens Panel and many other committees in the Kilmichael Glassary area.

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Although a native of Glasgow, Stewart has lived in Mid Argyll for nearly 40 years. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer having worked in both Local Government for several Local Authorities, and the Transport Scotland division of the Scottish Government.

James Ross

James Ross

Board Member

Having recently moved to mid-Argyll I am keen to be involved in the community. I am eager to share my knowledge to help develop MACPool and create a welcoming, friendly and fun environment for all.

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I have have worked within the hospitality and leisure sector over the past 15 years managing health clubs and swimming pools. My passion has always been health and fitness and in particular, sport. I play a multitude of sports including Golf, Cricket and Football which I played semi-professionally. When I was younger I swam competitively and now enjoy training for and taking part in open water swimming events.

Kate MacAulay

Kate MacAulay

Board Member

I have always supported MACPool.  My son learned to swim there and enjoyed Dolphins.  MACPool is a key community resource and I’m delighted to be able to contribute to its ongoing success by being part of the board of directors .  My focus is to lead the Community health and Well-being Committee with a key responsibility to support the staff of the pool.

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I moved to Mid Argyll in 1988 to take up my first nursing post as a registered mental health nurse.  I worked my whole career in the NHS in various roles.  I retired from my last position of Manager of Mid Argyll Hospital and Community Services in 2021. You will find me busy outdoors and on the go every day.  

Colin Campbell

Colin Campbell

Board Member

Having grown up in Cumnock, home to finest indoor, outdoor pool in the country, swimming was central to our recreational and social activity. After moving to Mid Argyll in 1983 to work for MK McLeod as a qualified Chartered Accountant and having a young family, we got involved with The Dolphins Swimming Club, then based at the 8m pool in Ardrishaig.

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As a Rotarian, I worked closely with John MacLean and have been involved with Mid Argyll Community Pool from conception and was on the board of MACEL from 1993. I left eventually and my son stepped into my shoes and joined the board for a time. After he left, I returned the board, keeping it in the family!