Always on
This project successfully funded on 31st August 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Help build The Pool House at WiveyPool
Taunton, Somerset, United Kingdom
£5,196
raised so far
Crowdfunder is secure
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Aim
The Pool House will enrich visitors’ experience, allow us to extend our season and offer a wider range of facilities/activities for everyone
About WiveyPool
Nestled in the heart of Wiveliscombe in the beautiful Somerset countryside, WiveyPool has been a cherished community hub since 1927. The pool has long been a place where generations have learned to swim, forged friendships, and enjoyed the simple pleasure of an open-air dip.
WiveyPool is run as a not-for-profit charity serving the local community and far beyond. We have nine proactive trustees and a small number of salaried staff. The facility is overseen by our Pool Manager who along with our paid and unpaid lifeguards and dedicated volunteers ensure everyone has an enjoyable and safe visit to the pool. As a charity, we depend heavily on grants and community fundraising to maintain and improve our facilities while keeping entry fees affordable.
Our Vision - The Pool House
Now, as we approach our 100th anniversary, we’re looking ahead to ensure that WiveyPool remains a vibrant and welcoming space for years to come. We want more people to experience the physical, mental, and social benefits of swimming - whether it's learning to swim, meeting friends, or simply enjoying the water. That’s why we need to create a multifunctional Pool House, designed to enhance the experience for everyone who visits and extend our opening season.
The Pool House will provide:
- A communal warm sheltered space for swimmers and spectators to congregate
- A safe and engaging area where school children can develop essential lifesaving skills through our Rookie Lifeguard and National Lifesaving Academy programmes
- A dedicated training room for teachers, staff, lifeguards and volunteers
- A versatile community event space for gatherings and meetings
- An accessible toilet, for all pool visitors and users of the Recreation Ground
In April 2025, we submitted a planning application to Somerset Council for the creation of a multifunctional building - The Pool House. This new facility will be built on the existing footprint of our current shop/kitchen, and storage garages, which have been generously gifted to us by Wiveliscombe War Memorial Recreation Ground. Our design includes a dedicated entrance to The Pool House while retaining the current entrance to the pool, allowing both spaces to operate independently for different events when needed. Inside, The Pool House will offer a welcoming area with tables, chairs, and a servery, where staff and volunteers can provide refreshments to swimmers, spectators, and visitors. The space will also host our ‘dry-side’ lifeguard training and lifesaving courses and community events and meetings. One of the most exciting aspects of the project is the creation of a fully accessible toilet for all. Currently, users of the Recreation Ground have no access to public toilet facilities. Alongside our new pool hoist, this addition will make visits to the pool significantly more convenient and enjoyable for people with limited mobility.
Our Objective
The pool temperature sits at a comfortable 26°C (dropping to 18°C off-season), but outdoor conditions can swing from -3°C to the high 20s in a single day. Wind and rain add to the challenge of staying comfortable before and after swimming - especially for children, older adults, those with limited mobility, teachers, staff, and spectators.
Many of our lane swimmers (aged from 9 to 94) often gather post-swim for a chat over tea - forming friendships, sharing stories, and sometimes enjoying homemade cakes or sausage rolls. During open Come & Swim sessions, visitors relax poolside or watch from the deck. But while our open-air setting is a unique draw, poor weather often keeps people away.
Our limited facilities are a barrier to wider community engagement. Currently, we rely on gazebos to shelter swimmers, staff, and spectators from the elements. In addition, the absence of an accessible toilet is a significant issue for pool users and visitors to the Recreation Ground - including those using the children’s play area, skate park, sports clubs, and other local amenities.
The Pool House would offer vital protection and better working conditions for our staff, lifeguards, and volunteers. With proper shelter, WiveyPool becomes a more attractive place to work and volunteer, enabling us to extend the season, add more lessons, water-based classes and swim sessions to more people for longer.
The benefits of swimming go beyond physical fitness - being in the fresh air, socialising, and participating in group activities all support mental wellbeing and help combat isolation and loneliness. The Pool House will help realise our vision and extend the benefits of WiveyPool to more people in the community.
Timing
After months of consultation and revisions, Somerset Council has granted planning permission for our Pool House development. To minimise disruption for our swimmers, construction of The Pool House will take place over the winter, ready for our spring 2026 opening.
The Cost
The estimated cost of the build is £250,000. We have already allocated £100,000 from our own budget and secured a further £123,000 in grant funding. Our 1927 Swim Challenge was a huge success (details below), raising almost £6,000 through sponsorship and donations.
We are incredibly grateful for this support, but we still face a shortfall. Our Pool House Project will therefore remain live, and any further donations—big or small—will be deeply appreciated.
Should we exceed our expectations, additional funds will go toward higher-spec, energy-efficient building materials and fitting out the Pool House with equipment such as a projector - ideal for training, meetings, and events.
The 1927 Swim Challenge raising funds for The Pool House
To celebrate our heritage and raise funds for The Pool House, we’re inviting everyone to take part in our 1927 Swim Challenge!
Participants can sign up at the pool and pledge to swim a total of 1927 lengths. Each swimmer’s progress will be recorded in a dedicated logbook at the pool. You can collect sponsorship either per length completed or for your total distance. We can even help you set up your own Crowdfunder fundraising profile to make it easier for you to share your progress to friends, family and supporters.
The challenge is open to everyone - whether you’re a seasoned swimmer aiming for the full 1,927 lengths, or you prefer a more achievable target like 192.7 or even 19.27 lengths. Every effort counts!
You can also team up with friends or family to complete the challenge together. The event runs for three months, from 1st June to 31st August, giving you plenty of time to reach your goal.
All participants will receive a unique wristband upon registration, and there will be special rewards for those who raise the most funds.
Other ways to help
Every contribution, big or small, will help bring this vision to life. Whether you donate, support our other fundraising initiatives or help spread the word, you’ll be playing a part in securing WiveyPool’s future. Thank you.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made