Venue
These sessions are run by The Shade Wellbeing, a subsidiary of the UK registered charity SHADE, with a focus on community service. All fitness and swim sessions are currently held at Atherton Leisure Centre, 189 Romford Road, Stratford, London, E15 4JF.
Attendance and Punctuality
Please note that as a private hire booking, only registered customers can attend our sessions. All sessions, including pay-as-you-go must be booked and paid for in advance. Registration and booking can be completed via our website www.theshade.org.
Please be at the leisure centre 15 minutes before your session start time to ensure our volunteers can confirm your booking and attendance, and the sessions can begin on time. Any latecomers will be denied entry to the session.
If you are to miss a session, please inform on the WhatsApp group as early as possible. Please do not leave it to the last minute as this causes a lot of inconvenience to the organiser. Informing us in advance is also courteous to fellow customers as it allows us to increase allocation for pay-as-you-go spaces for that session.
Bookings and Payment
All payments and bookings are strictly non-refundable and non-transferable. Bookings are carried out on a first come, first served basis. Block bookings and pay-as-you-go bookings cannot be refunded and neither can payment be transferred in case you miss any sessions. We also cannot accept bookings in another person’s name – only the person named on the register will be permitted entry to the session.
Winter Salaah
In the winter ‘Asr and Maghrib times fall in between some of our sessions. Please remember that swimming is a Sunnah and Salaah is Fardh so we must plan for our salaah ahead of our swim. We ask that you arrive early for your session start time to avoid causing delays, and pray at the centre. We have arrangements for a room to pray in. Please bring your own plastic prayer mat.
Parking
On weekdays there are 2 hour free parking bays on nearby roads (Atherton Road, Warwick Road and Clova Road). Also, if you go further down on Warwick Road to Ham Park Road, there are 2hr and 4hr free parking bays there all along the side of West Ham Park. Saturday is free parking on all of Atherton Road and most of Warwick Road, in addition to the 2hr free parking bays on the other side roads. Sunday there is free parking on all roads. Please check the signs and give yourself plenty of time to park and walk down to the centre in good time for your session.
Segregation
The female sessions are strictly WOMEN ONLY – no boys over the age of 4 will be allowed entry. Only female lifeguards and instructors will be on duty.
The male sessions are strictly MEN ONLY – no girls over the age of 4 will be allowed entry. Only male lifeguards and instructors will be on duty.
CCTV is recorded but is not actively monitored.
Dress Code
Female sessions – All participants aged 7yrs and over MUST wear loose clothing that covers the whole body from the neck to the ankles and full arms up to wrists. Covering the head is recommended but not a must. For swim sessions this must be swimwear material. It is recommended that girls under 7 wear swimwear that covers half legs and half arms but it is not compulsory.
Male sessions – All participants aged 7yrs and over MUST wear loose clothing that covers above the navel and at least a few inches below the knee. For swim sessions this must be swimwear material.
Babies – All babies and young children who are not yet toilet-trained must wear swim nappies for their sessions. Regular nappies/pull-ups are not suitable for swimming in, as they absorb too much water and can be dangerous for your child. The absorbent material can also swell and spill out causing problems to the pool’s filtration system.
Shoes – Outdoor footwear is not permitted at the poolside, so please bring a change of footwear such as flip-flops or pool shoes.
Participants who are not dressed according to the dress code will be asked to leave the session and no refunds will be given. They will be allowed to rejoin the following session only if they are dressed in the correct attire.
Changing rooms
Please arrive swim and/or gym ready so that the session can start on time. As you enter the centre, please take a wristband with which you may access lockers. Lockers are free to use. Please remember your locker number and return your wristband at the end of the session in the bins provided at the changing room entrances. Please try to be mindful of time when using changing rooms or showers as both are limited. When you are finished, ensure you have all your belongings. Try to keep the used area clean and tidy – our etiquettes are a form of da’wah.
Water Bottles
There is a water refill station in the foyer at Atherton Leisure Centre (on the right side of the main entrance). Please bring your own refillable water bottles to use during your sessions as cups are not provided.
Children’s Buggies/Pushchairs
There are buggy parks at the entrance and in the corridor before the changing rooms. No buggies are allowed in the changing rooms. You will need a £1 coin to use the park, which will be returned.
Children’s Buggies/Pushchairs
Please look after your belongings as neither us nor the leisure centre can take responsibility for any items left behind. Any items left behind are discarded by the centre.
General Swim
Adults who are not competent swimmers must bring their own swim aids as needed. You are welcome to bring children with you in the general swim; however you will need to also pay for them. Children must be supervised at all times. You are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate floats, goggles and any other swim aids. Please see the ActiveNewham Swim Safely rules at the end of this document for details on age restrictions and supervision.
Children in Swim Lessons
Those children who are in lessons don’t need to bring any floats as they will be provided, but those aged 6 and over must have their own goggles for their lessons.
Children aged between 4 and 5 in lessons may attend without a supervising adult. However, if your child is struggling and needs assistance, or is not water confident, then parents may be required to attend the lesson at the swim teacher’s request.
ActiveNewham Swim Safely Rules
- Under 8’s must be accompanied by a competent adult swimmer (over 16yrs old and recommended that they be able to swim at least 25 meters).
- No more than two under 8’s to each competent adult swimmer.
- The competent adult swimmer must actively supervise the under 8’s (i.e. be at arm’s length from the child).
- Non swimmers over the age of 16 are recommended to be accompanied in the water by a competent adult swimmer.
- All weak/non-swimmers and under 8’s, must wear armbands and/or use another swimming/buoyancy aid.
- Young people aged between 9 – 16 years must show that they are able to competently swim 25 meters before they are allowed to take part in the general swim.
- List of pool rules:
- No running/pushing
- No diving/bombing
- No face masks
- No acrobatics/gymnastics in the pool
- No shouting
- No ducking
- No holding breath in the water
- No games of tag
- No drugs or alcohol
- No fighting/bullying
- No misuse of equipment
- No food on poolside
- Children supervised at all times
- No electronic devices i.e. mobile phones, smart watches, cameras etc.
- All pool users must wear appropriate and clean swimming attire. Pool users are not permitted to wear jeans or leggings in the pool. Underwear and t-shirts should not be worn over swimming costumes unless for a medical reason however, this must be authorised by a duty manager. Clothing worn must be manufactured from materials specifically designed for the purpose of swimming.
- Instructions from the lifeguard must be obeyed at all times.