I have copied my recent (6th November letter to Dulwich leisure centre everyone active and the managers response(7th November) Nothing has changed. I've been asking for something to be done for 3 months - I know other women and even staff at the centre have voiced concerns - last week a male staff member said to me - and I quote (...please do complain...)- "..because I know that it's not normal - I basically can see physically everything that's going on." I don't know what else to do - so sharing publicly in the hope it might help some action to be taken. Dear Manager Dulwich Leisure Centre, I believe you are manager at Dulwich leisure centre? I am stating concerns about the pool female changing room - as - despite making 5 complaints now - the problems are escalating. ( I am also considering posting this on the Dulwich forum - I would like a response and my telephone number is at the bottom) 1. The door to the female changing room is not weighted/does not have a catch to stay shut. so even though they have now put signs up saying - please keep door shut- even when people do actually shut it (people do forget which happens when you are busy getting on with things) it often swings open again. I have made 3 complaints about this. I have been told that they too (one of the managers) has registered his concerns 2 months ago - no lasting action appears to have been taken. Another male staff member said to me - and I quote (...please do complain...)- "I know that it's not normal - I basically can see physically everything that's going on." 2. On Friday I was in the changing room late in the evening alone: a male attendant walked in to check if anyone was still in there - my top was not fully on and he just walked in no warning. He did walk out again and knocked - and mistakes happen - but when I said to him questioningly ' you just walked in without checking...?' he looked at me with a disparaging expression and said 'uh no I didn't'... he was dismissive and rude. he should've just apologised . .. but the way he responded has left me wondering if it was intentional and how often this happens by accident. 3. Today has been the most upsetting - I was changing - naked from the waste down - 2 other women changing too - a female cleaner was cleaning. And a man (staff member)walked into the changing room at the other end and walked through to the showers. He had glanced over and seen women changing / me! and carried on. I shouted down that there should not be a man in the changing room and the (always lovely) cleaner said there were signs warning people. a) I said these must not be clear as I hadn't seen anything b) the other women said there were no signs c) it's irrelevant - given there WERE women changing he should NOT have continued on regardless. I am upset - shocked and unhappy. This is about the right to change with privacy in an area I have been told is safe and private. While many of the changes to Dulwich leisure centre have been extremely positive - this is absolutely not on - the door never used to be an issue and no one ever walked in on me before. Just to add - the majority of the staff - and certainly all the staff that have moved over from the old company are so warm and helpful, kind and respectful. I have been really impressed with the changes. Please let me know what action will be taken to resolve this? Response I received from the manager - Thank you for your email, I am the General Manager of the Centre and welcome all forms of feedback. Firstly please accept my sincere apologies for the issues you have experienced with the changing room door in the ladies, unfortunately this is not a normal door closing system and sourcing the part to rectify what is wrong with it has taken our maintenance team a lot longer than we first thought. This is now on site and our maintenance team have been instructed to carry out the repair when they are on site Wednesday. With regards to the male cleaner entering the ladies, it is not unusual for us to need to allow male contractors into the female changing rooms for maintenance, but we would ensure we swap changing rooms for occasions the work will take longer than 30 minutes, if it is a short task we would notify all females in the changing room by sending a female colleague in to check the area first, if anyone refused, the male would not be permitted. For cleaning males are permitted into the ladies but only after hours, unless we are without a female cleaner and then we would follow the same procedure as above and put a notice on the door, but the male would not be left alone in the female area. I have spoken to the manager on shift and he was aware the cleaner needed access to assist the female, but he did not follow the correct procedure in notifying the team of when he was going to enter. We have spoken to the cleaner to ensure he fully understands he is to knock and ask first and if in any doubt ask one of the female colleagues to check the area first before entering. This will be covered in my team meeting today with all my deputies as well. Once the door is repaired I will let you know. Thank you for your positive feedback regarding the changes we are making and will continue to make. I have been swimming 5 times since last Wednesday - the day she refers to when it will be fixed. In at least 3 of the sessions the door has been left wide open at some points. I repeat my earlier quote - male staff member said to me - and I quote (...please do complain...)- "I know that it's not normal - I basically can see physically everything that's going on." THIS IS NOT OK DULWICH LEISURE CENTRE AND EVERYONE ACTIVE!!!! This has been going on for 3 months and women cannot get showered or changed in private...!!!!!!!!! What else do I need to do/what else do the staff need to do - for your facilities to be appropriate?
