DELIGHTED staff from Tadley Swimming Pool were rewarded with the winners' award for their customer service skills.

The team were given the top honour for their work to give swimmers the best treatment possible, and for making sure customers get the service they want.

The dedicated and enthusiastic staff have helped to make the pool, which opened in 1998, a real success.

Staff look at the pool as a community facility and strive to involve residents as much as possible. This approach has helped the pool become a part of Tadley life.

Catherine White, the swimming pool manager, said: "I would like to think we were chosen because we class the swimming pool as a community facility as opposed to a business.

"It's completely different to the other leisure facilities around.

"A lot of our staff live in Tadley, so we know a lot of our customers. It's the personal touch, taking five minutes to say 'hello' to people."

Miss White said the 38 staff all contributed to the success of the pool, and she also thanked the customers for their support.

She said: "Although some people do come here for the fitness training, it's still very much a social place as well. I think that's what has pulled it off for us."

Article first published on Thursday, April 1, 2004