Fundraisers have swum more than 1,000 lengths to help secure some of the money to reopen an open-air swimming pool which shut three years ago
County Durham’s only heated lido, at Stanhope in Weardale, closed in 2023 after a major electrical failure in its plant room
The group of swimmers from across the Wear Valley initially aimed to complete 804 lengths of Wolsingham Pool, equivalent to the 10 mile (16km) round trip between Wolsingham and Stanhope, as part of their wider fundraising efforts
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But participant Laura Alliston said with the “amazing encouragement” of supporters they decided to go “above and beyond“, raising £2,700 in the process
The group are hoping to raise a total of £50,000 to renovate and reopen the outdoor pool by 2027, with much of the restoration so far being carried out by volunteers and local tradespeople
Alliston said they had got about £30,000 so far
She said: “It was a really sad day when the pool closed, so many local people have got really fond memories there, and it’s been an important part of life in Weardale for generations.”
She said reopening it would be “good for the area and support local tourism” as well as be “great for people’s mental health and children”
Speaking before taking the plunge, she said the team – ranging from ages six to 69 – were “quite excited to start, and some a bit nervous”
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“I wouldn’t consider myself a strong swimmer or necessarily say I swim this amount every week, but I’m going to give it a go and I’m looking forward to it,” she said
“It’s going to be a real team effort, we’re all going to muck in,” she said
After the challenge, she said she was “really, really proud” of their efforts, even if it had left her a “little bit tired”
“The whole team did an absolutely tremendous effort,” she said
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