Celebrating our Centenary in 2022
Latest news
Chair’s update November 2021
Jane Savidge
27 November 2021
A Bigger Splash!
This issue of Poolside Chat marks the start of a very significant year for Hampton Pool. A pivotal year which includes the Pool’s 100th birthday on 24 June 2022 and the start of fundraising for our fabulous new building.
Hampton Pool’s official opening took place on 24 June 1922 following many years of negotiation to find a suitable site for a swimming bath in Hampton, and a lengthy suspension of work due to the First World War. To mark our milestone birthday, we are planning a programme of events, activities and competitions throughout the year. Save the date and watch this space and social media, as further details will be provided over the Christmas period.
Some of you may remember the successful Sink or Swim campaign which secured the reopening of Hampton Pool in 1985 following closure by the council, or you may have helped with the more recent Splash for Cash campaign which supported further upgrading in 2004. We need your help once again to make an even bigger splash this coming year. Our centenary provides the perfect opportunity to support the future of our lovely open air swimming pool by joining in the fundraising fun to support us in finding the funding to construct our new building.
We hear some lovely comments about the difference the Pool makes “It’s a really unique experience and it’s the other swimmers who make it so special.” “This wonderful place has been my sanity! Just love it.” Our Bigger Splash in 2022 will be all about showcasing the positive impact of the Pool on the lives of local people, even more important as we emerge from two long years of Covid.
We are already busy collecting evidence of our reach and impact – Did you know, for example, that Hampton Pool has 51,000 registered users of the Hampton Pool Booking App! or that 45,320 entries to the pool in 2019-20 were made by children attending swimming lessons (the last pre-Covid year).
Part of our work next year will be about making our positive impact more visible. We are collecting stories and memories past and present to show what a difference the Pool makes to people’s lives and how our impact will be increased by our new building. This will provide access for all, much needed improvement to our changing spaces, increased space and flexibility in the gym and studio enabling a wider range of activities all year round, all made possible by the flexibility and imagination of the building design.
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