Friends of Hagbourne Pool

Aim: Friends of Hagbourne Pool exists to help Hagbourne School keep it's pool open and teach people to swim.

Refurbishment of Hagbourne CE Primary School Pool

Our lovely pool has been an integral part of Hagbourne School since the 1970’s, helping students learn essential water safety skills, gain confidence, and stay active. All children at Hagbourne are lucky enough to swim for 2 terms a year, starting in Reception class and continuing right the way through to Year 6. The pool is also used to provide swimming lessons to other local primary schools, currently Blewbury Primary School and Chilton Primary School. It serves the wider community through after-school and weekend swim programmes, baby and toddler sessions, lifesaver training, local community groups (such as Cubs and the Young Farmers) and providing free lessons for eligible local children via the Youmove incentive.

Unfortunately, the facility is now in serious need of repair and modernisation. Without updates, we risk losing this valuable resource entirely.

Friends of Hagbourne Pool is a newly registered charity (registered charity number 1213633) whose objective is to support and enhance the swimming provision at Hagbourne CE Primary School.

We’re currently fundraising for the following:

• Replacement of the pool liner, skimmers and repairs to the pool surround

• Upgrading the outdated and inadequate heating and filtration systems to improve efficiency and sustainability

The total cost is estimated at £34,000. We are now over halfway towards our fundraising target with existing funds, grants and pledges, including over £4,000 raised via sponsorship of Hagbourne Pupils for two fundraising challenges. Last Summer was ‘HMS Hagbourne’, a pirate themed challenge, and this June children all took part in a ‘Swimming Pool Time Machine’ challenge themed to tie in with celebrating 150 years of Hagbourne School this year. We hope that playing a part in the fundraising effort for this ambitious project will give the children a sense of pride and achievement.

Our hope is that we are able to raise sufficient funds to carry out the works this winter during the pool’s closure period.

Restoring the pool will provide lasting benefits—not just for current residents, but for future generations. With the number of local pools providing school swimming lessons dwindling, keeping the Hagbourne School pool open will help to ensure that children in the local area, regardless of background, will have the opportunity to learn to swim, stay active, and develop life skills in a safe and welcoming space.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 9th September 2025 at 8:47pm