Thousands raised to keep Highley's outdoor swimming pool

The Severn Centre in Highley, near Kidderminster needs to raise £120,000 to save the pool from closure – and residents, users and staff have already started getting behind the campaign

Centre manager Chris Reeves said he is already in talks with numerous grant-making bodies and hopes fundraising will continue to boost the centre's chances of further financial backing.

Two public consultations were held in March after the centre revealed urgent work was needed to reline the pool and replace equipment in the pump room.

The majority of funding is expected to come from grants, but any shortfall could come out of taxpayers' pockets through council tax.

More than 1,500 people voted to keep the pool, with just one person calling for it to be scrapped.

Mr Reeves said the centre had already approached the Leader Fund and Inspired Facilities about possible grants and early interest had been positive.

"We want to raise as much money as possible and then try and get grants, which in turn can be match funded," he said.

"The more money we raise the more interest we'll get from outside bodies to support the project."

The pool was first built in 1974 with money from the village's former mining community, largely in response to the number of children who had drowned swimming in the River Severn during the summer.

Mr Reeves said the present fundraising initiative started two years ago, when he addressed the parish council's AGM and pointed out the work that needed doing and the need for fundraising.

"People don't always realise what they have got until it's gone and what we'd really like to see is people using the pool while it's here," he said.

"Campaigns to save other lidos around the UK have proved that.

"We have a fabulous facility here, which provides families with a cracking day out and people with a great way to work out and wind down in summer months.

"So many outdoor pools have closed because of funding but ours is what started this community centre.

"Since it was built in the 1970s hundreds of children have learned to swim here and it has given them a safe place to go in the summer.

"Nobody in this area wants this pool to go the way of scores of others, closed because of lack of funding."

To support the swimming pool fund call the centre on 01746 860000.