AN award-winning charity raising funds for a much-needed hydrotherapy pool is celebrating after receiving a £60,000 donation.

The Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP), in Newton Aycliffe, was given the cash from the Wolfson Foundation – a charity that promotes excellence in the fields of science, health, education, the arts and humanities.

It needs to raise £410,000 to redevelop their 20-year-old hydrotherapy pool and the donation brings their total to almost £300,000.

The PCP is a charity which aims to create opportunities to improve the health, wellbeing and life chances of disadvantaged communities.

Its centre is home to one of the region’s only hydrotherapy pools, which is open to people of all ages and abilities and is in desperate need of refurbishment.

PCP chief executive, Carol Gaskarth, described the pool as a "lifeline" for the many users who suffer with muscle and nerve problems.

She said: "PCP is absolutely thrilled to receive this grant from the Wolfson Foundation.

“The donation makes our target of raising £410,000 for the new pool a much more achievable one.

“The hydrotherapy pool is a lifeline for many people providing therapeutic benefits including reducing muscle and nerve problems, improving sleep disorders and reducing stress.

“Many of our clients use it to either relax or work out and as a way of maintaining overall health whilst making new friends and having fun too.

“After 20 years of operation the whole of the pool needs replacing and the area modernising. We’re working with people who use the pool to design the final layout and we can’t wait to get started with the build.

“It is hoped that the funding from the Wolfson Foundation will be the catalyst to secure additional resources from other sources.

"With only about £100,000 to raise we’re going to ramp up the fundraising and aim to commence work early 2020.”

To to donate or support the hydrotherapy pool campaign email carol.gaskarth@pcp.uk.net or call 07890-642683.