"We, the undersigned, call on Portsmouth City Council to include a community swimming pool in the Learning Campus being built in Paulsgrove on the King Richard site as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme. We urge the council to seek help from the government's Swimming Challenge Fund to help fund the pool and make use free for under-16s and over-60s."

A swimming pool is something that residents and councillors in Paulsgrove have been trying to achieve for 20 years. The council's swimming strategy for 1990-2000 even promised a pool, but nothing has happened yet.

But now there is a real chance to finally make something happen. Governors at King Richard say a pool could be developed by Portsmouth City Council to coincide with the government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme which is seeing King Richard School demolished and replaced with a brand new Learning Campus with modern facilities. This could host a swimming pool development.

At the same time, the government has announced the creation of a "Swimming Challenge Fund". The government is making money available to local councils to build better swimming facilities and make them free to under-16s and over-60s. So there is a fantastic site for the swimming pool, and the offer of cash from the government to help make it happen.

The deadline for the council to register an expression of interest in free swimming is 15th September and they must confirm plans by 15th October.

You can help by signing the petition and encouraging your friends to do likewise. We will present a list of names to the council on 12th September and again on 10th October. The petition states: "We, the undersigned, call on Portsmouth City Council to include a community swimming pool in the Learning Campus being built in Paulsgrove on the King Richard site as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme. We urge the council to seek help from the government's Swimming Challenge Fund to help fund the pool and make use free for under-16s and over-60s."

If you include your mobile number or e-mail address we will text or e-mail you with other actions you can take to make the swimming pool more likely – for example e-mailing or phoning a particular person at the council on a particular day, etc.

You can also phone on 02392 658 291 or e-mail mccarthyfrys@parliament.uk to request copies of the petition forms for your church, community group or just to take down the pub!