True Serenity and Enlightening move into Castleton Health & Leisure Centre

True Serenity and Enlightening have moved into the Castleton Health & Leisure Centre

Holistic practitioners True Serenity and Enlightening has moved premises from Blue Pitt Mill to Castleton Health & Leisure Centre.

The centre, formerly Castleton Swimming Pool, was taken over by Crewe Industrial in a community asset transfer in August 2017.

Crewe Industrial, owned by Nick Crewe, a born and bred Castletonian, wants to help return Castleton to its former glory.

The local company has also restored the former Castleton Carnegie Library building and Blue Pit Mill.

Facility manager Jo Potts explained: “I am an old school friend of Nick’s and he knew I had worked in the leisure industry. When Crewe was set to take over the pool, he asked if I wanted to run it and I jumped at the chance.”

True Serenity originally opened in 2009 at the former Rochdale Online office on Bury Road before transferring to Blue Pit after “Nick brought it back to life”.

Jo continued: “We both love Castleton and want it to be a positive place.

"It was Nick’s idea to move True Serenity to the pool to bring everything under one roof and help make things more viable.”

The new premises offer a variety of treatments, which are performed by one of a collective of independent practitioners specialising in a particular area, across four treatment rooms, including a far infrared sauna, plus a sensory space for children under Enlightening on the middle floor.

The proximity of the pool also complements the services provided by True Serenity in supporting mental and physical health and wellbeing for all users.

Jo added: “We are at capacity at the moment; we have been so busy since moving shortly before Christmas.

"It is really nice to see everyone back in the pool too. Aquabears, Starfish, Castleton Swimming Club and all the schools are back using the pool.

“It is really a sentimental bit of history to see the people who taught myself, my daughter and Nick to swim here still teaching the children of Castleton how to swim here.”

The building, which is over 100 years old, currently has no disabled wheelchair access, due to its age. However, Crewe has plans to remedy this in the next couple of years by introducing a communal changing area for the swimming pool with disabled access via the car park. The other changing room is set to be transformed into a gym. The company is also in the process of opening up the balcony.

Jo concluded: “We are all about empowering people and choices. We have a lot of volunteers who help out too because they see it is a good thing for Castleton, which is on the up. People are having pride in our village and can tap into health and well being services right on their doorstep.

“There is so much community spirit here and it is an amazing thing for the village.”

Local ward councillor Billy Sheerin – who, like his family before him, learned to swim at the pool as a young boy and fought to save it – was also recently treated to a tour of the premises.

He said: “I have benefitted personally from the pool and have taken up an early morning swim. The showers are warm and it is a delight to be there.

“I had a tour round and the place is unrecognisable. The amount of effort that has done in gives the whole place a wonderful feel.”

Councillor Sheerin added: “True Serenity moving in is an absolute plus for this amazing facility. It can only enhance the building. Lindzi Miller and Joanne Potts have made an enchanting place rather special. Their therapies and treatments are in the ideal environment.

“Crewe has worked hard too.

“It is an investment that is unbelievable, and long awaited here in Castleton.”