View from the Pool

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Meet Donna Bristoll - a fine art student in Falmouth who metamorphosed into a Contract Training Manager for Places Leisure. Her journey, like many, features the "stumble" into Leisure, followed by a steely determination to become successful.

Her uncanny timing in landing the role of Group Lifeguard Manager for Places Leisure (maternity cover) two days before the first lockdown would have derailed many. Donna however,  realised there would be difficult times ahead, getting the entire companys Lifeguards back up to speed before re-opening and she threw herself headlong into the challenge,

Some lighthearted moments along the way as she describes one of her pastimes, that being Accident & Emergency bingo!

An enjoyable conversation with someone I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the years  

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Alan Ritchie is GLL's National Pools and Water Safety Manager, but don't mention the job title! 

This is a man who was at the very start and there at the very heart of Greenwich London Leisures journey back in 1993. 

We chat about the early days, his deep fat fryer training and his subsequent career progression through GLL to his current position, responsible for the Lifeguards in over 100 swimming pools.

Alan gives us an interesting insight into the ethos of GLL which is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services

We discuss his love of dinghy sailing, the future of swimming pools, pool design, architects and generally putting the world to rights!

A fascinating character with a great story!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

This is one banger of a story with Helen Bull who was a national level swimmer in her teenage years. She began her unique career holding various roles at The Walt Disney Company, starting as a lifeguard in Florida  at the Walt Disney World Resort. She then went on to work for P&O Cruises in various commercial management and HR roles.

Having then been diagnosed with cancer friends persuaded her to get back into the pool for the first time since retiring from competitive swimming.

Helen returned to aquatics in 2018 and you would find her at the London Aquatics Centre in where she worked for GLL heading up the largest single-site swim school in the UK. 

In 2019, Helen became the first wheelchair user to be a qualified swim teacher and qualified National Pool Lifeguard (NPLQ). Helen continues to break down barriers and is determined to make RLSS qualifications as accessible as possible.

She is now the National Commercial Aquatics Manager for Serco Leisure

In her spare time, Helen is an RLSS UK Trainer Assessor delivering lifeguarding qualifications.

This 60 minute podcast with Helen is one of inspiration, determination and commitment!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Phil Weitzel met Dean Bolton  during his early days of leisure facility management. Phil arrived quite late into the leisure game and it was then that he first crossed paths with Dean, who was one of those troublesome teenage lads whose name was rarely out of the "barred" book! Today they are DP Leisure

Phil spotted something in Dean and started him on a more constructive course for life and introduced him to the world of Lifeguarding.

Fast forward a few years later - now both in management and with the blessing of their current employer,  they formed DP Leisure - an Essex based Training and Development Consultancy who specialise in all things pool related.

A partnership with great chemistry and personality - a good news story!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Steven Gallagher left school as a 16 year old in the late 80's, a little unsure of where life was taking him. His decision to accept a leisure apprenticeship with Leeds City Council took him on a path which eventually saw him become Sigura's European Business Manager for Commercial Pools.

The 2012 London Olympics proved to be the inspirational motivation required for Steven and his wife to follow a healthier lifestyle, which has led him to pre-meeting, sunrise runs around Barcelona or Red Square in Moscow to name a couple!,
 
Now a certified Park Run "professional", enjoy Steven's story from Lifeguard in Leeds, to Management in Tadcaster and now as a highly respected pool water treatment expert.

This podcast contains zero mind boggling pool water chemical analogies - so safe for listeners of all abilities - hope you enjoy!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Jim Flatley started with St Helens Council as part of the Youth Training Scheme in the late 80's. 

A few decades later Jim is very much part of the fixtures and fittings at Queens Park Health and Fitness Centre and still driving a change and modernisation program.

A staunch Evertonian , Jim takes us on his journey from YTS to Sheffield University and back to St Helens. Using the Covid Pandemic in a positive way for change - there is still plenty of mileage in the tank and lots to achieve.

A 300 up Park Run  man - hope you enjoy this one!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

Tom Stuart is an Assistant Manager with Hambleton District Council and has been with them for 25 years in various roles.

He started his career as a "not very good mechanic" (has words) before finding his calling as a Lifeguard in Thirsk.

Tom has had the misfortune of being involved in a drowning fatality when he was on duty. He describes and shares the aftermath of having been involved in such an incident and recalls reluctantly the knock on effects this had on the staff and close know community.

His account of the two days following the fatality is something we rarely hear about.

Tom lays his heart on the line for this one - a moving and emotional tale about life after "When the worst thing happens"

Standing on the deck of your pool,  looking down - you can see your 50p and its heads - the water is sparkling - crystal clear you think.

Perhaps not!

Your water is sh*t, I have been heard to say! Sometimes the incredulous look from the Manager as he/she says “but my water readings are perfect, Free Chlorine is 1.5ppm (mg/l) my combined is 0.5 and my total 2.0 - how can that be?” 

Often at this stage the Manager usually gets quite defensive (as well as a little hurt)

I often thought that maintaining pool water was a little bit of a “black art”, it takes someone with a keen interest in water chemistry, a sound knowledge of the plant room and of course well trained.

It’s the sign of the times that so very few swimming pools have their own dedicated “plant man” much of the duties fall into the laps of the already over stretched Duty Managers who may only “tip a nod” to the pool and do the water tests as trained.

So it is not so surprising that there are not so many on site who are well informed about turbidity (how many sites have a turbidity meter?)

So to try and help explain a little more about turbidity in layman's language and WHY we sometimes can’t see through water, I asked two acknowledged  experts in their field and co-hosts of Poolcast The Swimming Pool Podcast , Robin Mitchell and Ian Ogilvie to join a  session with View from the Pool to enlighten, educate and entertain  us all.

Glad to say, we ticked all three boxes!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

This weeks podcast features Gareth Kirk  who is the North of England and Northern Ireland Regional Director for GLL, the charitable social enterprise that operate leisure facilities and then some across the UK.

We discuss Gareth’s day job where he oversees teams across Manchester, York, Newcastle, Cumbria, Preston and Belfast and the fun, games and frustrations he has around his   interactions with local authority partners on both a officer and elected representative level on a daily basis.

Charting his rise from Lifeguard to Chair of the Board, this is a breathless and faced paced conversation, which for obvious reasons centres around the rebirth of Belfast leisure thanks to a £105million investment from the City Council.

If you are looking for a little inspiration in life to work hard and chase the dream - lock and load this one in and listen to Northern Irelands latest adopted son regale his story!

“View from the Pool” is a distinctive series of conversation podcasts between Poolview’s Robin McGloughlin and his guests, who uniquely have all been Lifeguards at some point in their career. 

This weeks podcast features Shandon Scott - a Kiwi adopted physiotherapist  from Northern Ireland.

A casual Lifeguard from 16 years of age until the end of University, we talk about his early rugby career and setting up his own business before he swiftly  decided a move to New Zealand was the right one for him.

Shandon takes us into his new world of free diving, representative rugby, New Zealand ACC, holistic health care and the four day working week.

It was great to catch up again with this young man whom I have know since he was 12,

An inspiration for many young lifeguards - work hard and follow your dreams.

Not yet 30, Shandon seems to have it all under control except for one thing - The NZ Manu!