Author: Lisa Topham

🚨 New Car Parking System is Operational🚨

🎟️ No tickets. No validation at reception 🎟️

✅ Just park up and enter your number plate at the tablet after the turnstiles ✅

🛑 Forget to enter it = you’ll receive a fine 🛑

Summer Training Schedule

(Temporary from W/c 11 August 2025)

ORCA’s last training session at Royton will be Saturday 2 August 2025.

Each year over the summer ORCA takes an annual break, this year that break will be for 1 week covering the period Monday 4 August – Sunday 10 August 2025, there will be no training during the above week.

From Monday 11 August 2025, we will then move to a temporary schedule as detailed below:

Monday

Failsworth Leisure Centre

M35 9HA

[G1 – 7pm-8pm]

[G2/G3 – 8pm-9.30pm]

Tuesday

Oldham Leisure Centre

OL9 6AF

[G3 – 7.15pm-8.15pm- Replaces Friday night session]

Thursday

Oldham Leisure Centre

OL9 6AF

[G1 – 7.30pm-8.30pm]

[G2/G3 – 8.30pm-9.30pm]

Saturday

Oldham Leisure Centre

OL9 6AF

[G1 – 2pm-3pm]

[G2/G3 – 3pm-5pm]

We will update further once we have a firm date to be back training at Royton Leisure Centre.

We have now had confirmation from OCLL that the work to repair the pool lining is scheduled to start from week commencing Monday 4 August 2025.

ORCA’s last training session at Royton will be Saturday 2 August 2025.

We are still finalising our temporary schedule with OCLL, this will be communicated out to all swimmers next week.

ORCA Committee

Entries are now open for the GALA – BCM SWPA Autumn Meet 2025 – see QR Code below for details.

The BCM Autumn Meet will take place over the weekend of the 4 & 5 October 2025 at Wigan Life Centre.

To take part in this gala a swimmer has to be 9 years old or over at Midnight on 5 October 2025. Whatever age the swimmer is at midnight on the 5 October 2025 is the age they will race.

When entering this gala please make sure to enter a time for each event. If the swimmer does not have an official time you can ask one of the coaches at training for a time.

Please beware if this gala is over subscribed swimmers with estimated times or unofficial times will likely be rejected first.

Also when looking at the upper time limits please beware that swimmers can not have swam faster than the stated upper time limit to enter that race.

This is an idea gala for swimmers to enter into competitive swimming.

You will also need a Swim England “Swim to Compete” membership.

If you have a “Swim to Train” membership this will need to be upgraded so that you can take part.

On Saturday 26 July 2025, ORCA will be hosting a Long Course Training Session at Manchester Aquatics Centre.

If you are a Group 1 swimmer, you are invited to train from 1pm-2pm.

Please aim to arrive for 12.45pm.

If you are a Group 2/3 swimmer, you are invited to train from 2pm-3pm.

Please aim to arrive for 1.45pm.

We would encourage attendance at this session as the opportunity for long course training is rare, given the availability of 50m pools within the locality of Greater Manchester.

Car Parks close to the Aquatics Centre are:

• NCP – Manchester Circle Square – M1 7ED
• NCP – Manchester Chester Street – M1 5GE
• APOCA – Aquatics Centre – M13 9SS

**There will be no training at Royton Leisure Centre on this day**

The team emails are due out in the next 48 hours.

Please let us know if you swimmer is able to compete ASAP.