The Abbey Swimming Club, based in Milton Abbas, has permanently closed after over 30 years but has donated £23,000 of club funds to local good causes.

The community swimming club, based at the Milton Abbey School pool, near Dorchester, held its first session on June 14 1988. The club was run solely by volunteers, including volunteer lifeguards, volunteer swimming teachers and all committee members.

For almost 32 years it held about four swimming sessions a week for its members, ranging in age from just a few months old to those over 80, but was forced to stop these during the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

For more than 30 years, the club also children's and adult's swimming lessons, and for many years diving lessons, toddler swimming lessons, and aquafit sessions.

It held adult only swimming sessions and monthly fun and floats sessions, to cater for all ages, as well as regular galas – both fun and competitive – to cater for all abilities.

The club had close links with Milton Abbas surgery and offered 'back to fitness' sessions for surgery referrals.

It was also a valued social club for all members, with regular social events to raise funds, such as New Year's Eve barn dances, summer barbeques, skittles evenings and quiz nights.

Since 2001, the club was actively involved with the Milton Abbas Street Fair and ran the cream tea stall, with the whole swimming community coming together at these events.

After COVID, the club was hoping to re-open at the Milton Abbey School pool as before, but under new safeguarding rules, the school would only allow the club to access the pool during some school holidays.

The club has been unable to find an alternative pool to use regularly so it was decided to close the club permanently in late 2022.

A farewell reception was held at the Milton Abbas Reading Rooms earlier this month, where club assets were distributed to local charities chosen by members.

A total of £23,000 was distributed, with Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, Weldmar Hospicecare and Wimborne Wagtails – a swimming club for the disabled – each receiving cheques for £7,000, and Milton Abbas Street Fair receiving £2,000.

Representations from each organisation were present at the event and said a few words of thanks and described how much the donation would mean for their organisation.