My Award Winning Husband!
Like many wives, there are things that my husband does or ”passions for a cause” that he has, which drive me completely crazy! Whilst 35 years together has tempered the way we see , deal with and tolerate each other, one thing that hasn’t changed, is how we support and encourage each other – no matter how much the activities drive one of us crazy!
Over 12 years ago, Tony, my long suffering husband, was concerned to learn that, while we were renting our holiday villas and had no control over pool cleaning, there was NO control of pool cleaning/training/health and safety or anything specific or regulated on the island of Cyprus – so he made it his mission to find someone to help.
Travelling to America, to meet with the National Swimming Pool Foundation, a world recognised company dealing with aquatic safety, was the turning point for him – and for Cyprus.
Tony trained to be an NSPF CPO: Certified Pool Operator – and we paid for our then manager, to do the same. Returning to Cyprus, Tony quickly realised there was a huge need to educate and train the many, many people who were cleaning pools with good intention but no qualification or understanding of what they were doing. So, at our own cost again, we paid for members of the NSPF to fly to Cyprus and work with us, holding the 2 day training courses necessary to get the 5 year qualification.
Many, many trainees later, Tony then went on to qualify as an NSPF Instructor and Inspector, allowing him to be the first person on the island and indeed in Europe, to train interested people, to the recognised standard -and he’s been doing this approx. 8 years now.
Like all things in life, when you stick your chin out and try to help/educate, you get kicked, criticised and copied. We train all of our team to NSPF CPO standards – and continue to train new people even though that training means they can go up against us in business, working the same geographical area that we do and potentially taking some of our pools……… Indeed , many ex members of staff whom we’ve trained, nurtured and guided , now ”know best” and work around us, cutting corners – as well as cutting out required payments to the local authority eg by not charging VAT – but that is their problem, not ours.
Tony single handedly, for so many years, worked to raise the standard of pool cleaning and to help people. He accepted many of them then, trying to ”climb past him” and be the ”star”: something they think he is interested in most but they couldn’t be more wrong…..
Recently, my husband has travelled around Europe undertaking a few courses with , thankfully, intelligent, committed and interested professionals whose interest IS in pool water care and not in getting the job done and getting to the pub by 2pm. Tony has gone about his work quietly and professionally, enjoying the challenge and meeting grown ups.
Yesterday, out of the blue, he received a wonderful award from the worldwide Pool and Hot Tub Alliance: an organisation made up of the new partnership of National Swimming Pool Foundation and Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (NSPF AND APSP), of which he is a recognised member. The Award is for his constant commitment to raising the standards of aquatic care and introducing this to new territories in Europe. Quite a significant achievement for non salaried, totally commitment driven work.
Tony, I’m so very proud of you and what you’ve achieved in raising the standard of pool water care across Cyprus – and now Europe. And I’m even more proud of you that you don’t let the idiots bring you down. It either matters or it doesn’t – and your work matters!
If you’d like to swim in a clean pool in one of the villas we maintain, email to Lynn@cyprusvillas.uk.com and relax! Your holiday and your comfort in clean water, matters to us very much! That’s why our pools are maintained by The Pool People!
