A SWIMMER who suffers with crippling arthritis is set to raise funds for the charity that helped him get back on his feet by taking part in a sponsored swim.

Stan Roper, who lives in Moredon, will celebrate his 70th birthday on June 25 and the plucky pensioner is determined make it one he will remember for a long time to come.

For the past 10 years, Stan has been a regular user of the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool in Jefferies Road, which uses the healing qualities of water to help relieve painful conditions.

He credits the pool with having given him a new lease of life and wants to give something back to say thank you.

Stan, who has suffered with arthritis – which started in his spine – for the best part of 20 years, said: “If it wasn’t for that place I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

Stan spent 30 years of his working life in the building trade, taking on a variety of labouring jobs.

“Over the years the work has taken its toll,” he said.

He was referred to the Hydrotherapy pool by a doctor 10 years ago and it has improved his life enormously.

He said: “When I first got in the pool, it made me realise just how bad I was because I couldn’t even swim a width it was that painful. But then a width turned into a length and then a length into even more lengths.”

He did a sponsored swim last year for which he managed to swim 41 lengths in 20 minutes. No mean feat considering his physical capabilities, but this year he is looking to push himself even further, aiming for a minimum of 70 lengths in an hour.

The Thamesdown facility, which has been open since 1979, costs around £140,000 to run each year and employs four first aid trained members of staff.

Around 200 people use it each week, but full capacity is thought to be around 700 or more.

The 13m x 6m pool is kept at a constant 34 degrees to aid with hydrotherapy treatment.

Speaking about the benefits of hydrotherapy, Stan said: “It’s a good way of exercising your joints. The water in the pool is warm and it takes the weight off you. You can float around easily and it takes the pressure off your joints.

“Being able to move around in the water has done me a world of good – I would fully recommend it to anybody.”

Looking ahead to his challenge in June, a confident Stan said: “I am really looking forward to it. I would like to try to raise £500 for them, and with the donations I have had so far I am well on my way.”

To donate to Stan’s cause log on to htt/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StanRoper.