Cleveland Pools 'needs public donations' to reopen

Custodians of Britain's last surviving Georgian outdoor swimming pool say they need to raise £400,000 to reopen it.

Cleveland Pools, near Bath, is due to reopen to the public in 2022 following restoration work beginning this spring.

The £5.6m restoration project is mostly funded by a £4.7m National Lottery grant, with about £600,000 previously raised through fundraising.

Project director Anna Baker said that money would not cover all the costs to restore the Grade II* listed site.

Ms Baker said: "We need to do our own fundraising and it's going to be a massive effort but we need to raise £400,000 over the next year.

"It's an exciting time as we approach reopening but we need to get those funds in place to get to that stage."

She said this is a project "that people can really get behind", as people place more focus on being outside and their general wellbeing.

"It's vital to have a connection with nature and to take exercise, and Cleveland Pools offers that," she said.

"Even if you cannot donate money, donating your time to our appeal will be a great help as our volunteers are at the heart of the project."

Ms Baker said the trust was seeking to launch a crowd-funding appeal, a local business support scheme and a "sponsor a tile" fundraising campaign.

The trust is also seeking a new trustee to lead on their fundraising efforts.

Work was due to begin last year on the site, which was built in 1815, but plans were derailed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Repair work is on course to start in the next few months, with a public reopening planned for summer 2022.

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