Pool's future secured after charity buys it for £1

17 hours ago

Alex PopeBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

News image — Trustees Joanne Willett and Frazer Willett are handed the keys to the Ward Freman Pool building

Ward Freman Community Pool Group Two people standing outside, holding a set of keys between them. The woman, to the left has on a grey jumper, dark trousers and has short grey hair and glasses. The man has on a blue jumper, shirt and dark trousers. He also has glasses on and short grey hair. — Trustees Joanne Willett and Frazer Willett are handed the keys to the Ward Freman Pool building

The future of a community pool has been secured after it was bought for £1 by a charity formed to save it.

About £250,000 has been raised to renovate, update and maintain the Ward Freman Swimming Pool in Buntingford, Hertfordshire.

It closed in December 2023 when East Herts District Council, who used to run it, said its upgrades were too costly.

Joanne Willett, a trustee from the Ward Freman Community Pool Group, said she was "excited" to get contractors in to start on the repair work and hoped it would reopen by the end of the year.

Ward Freman Community Pool Group A woman inside an empty swimming pool holding a banner supporting Buntingford’s community pool, with a yellow mannequin in a life jacket in the foreground. There is bunting in the pool and a poster, that looks like a fish tank to the left. The pool is made of cream tiles. — The charity hopes the pool complex will reopen by the end of the year

Willett said the money raised from grants and donations would go towards arranging a new water supply, fixing broken tiles, repairing the filtration system and replacing expansion joints.

It will then be used by the whole community, she said.

The group would continue fundraising to pay for its upkeep as well as future upgrades, including new changing rooms, the installation of solar panels, new plant equipment and the creation of a cafe.

"Hopefully when the contractors get in, they won't find any more problems.

"We're also going to give the showers a bit of a spruce up," she said.

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Lucas, executive member for resources and performance at the former owners, Hertfordshire County Council, said the sale would safeguard "the pool and its facilities for the local community and people of Hertfordshire for years to come".

Ward Freman Community Pool Group An empty swimming pool, with cream tiles and black tiles, for the lane definition. There is a window above the pool, equipment in the corner and brick walls. — The pool has been empty since the end of 2023

She thanked everyone who helped in the fundraising efforts and local firm JCS who donated two reconditioned boilers, saving the charity £40,000.

"I'm really excited, it's still a bit of a shock.

"Everyone we've spoken to has been so supportive, they can't wait for it to open again, it's just such an important asset and is part of the community.

"This is just the start, it's not been brought back to life just yet, but we will get there."

The pool first opened in 1970 as part of Ward Freman School, which is now Freman College.

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