Bulletin - sent out on 7th August 2003
SCHOOL SWIMMING SCANDAL - TES REPORT	The Times Education Supplement (August 1st) focuses on reports on the failure of school swimming programs. Their survey shows 100,000 children will leave primary school this summer unable to swim, despite it being on the national curriculum and despite a government taskforce set up 3 years ago to investigate following a similar report by TES. The TES comments "This is a scandal. Research shows that regular physical activity can lead to higher academic achievement. Swimming also has a part to play in promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people turned off by other sports....What is needed is local, high quality facilities, available at a reasonable price". While the TES report shows 3 in 10 children leave school nationally unable to meet curriculum standards, research by the Learning Trust suggests the situation in Hackney is much worse. Of 16 schools interviewed they found 3 schools had no swimming at all, 5 did not know how many children fulfilled curriculum standards for swimming and 4 said that more than 70% children were leaving unable to swim.
VOTE FOR RESTORATION!	Victoria Baths in Manchester is one of a series of listed buildings to be featured in BBC2's Restoration program. Presented by Gryff Rhys Jones, viewers are invited to vote for the building they would like to see receiving the funds (likely to be £3 million). Victoria Baths, whose campaigners have visited the Haggerston Pool campaign, is to featured this Friday 8th August at 9pm. Victoria Baths is Manchester's water palace - with 3 pools (1st class men's, 2nd class men's and women's - in that order of luxury), Turkish Baths, mosaics, carved tiles and stained glass windows. Despite being a grade 2* listed building, the campaign has not yet been able to raise the funds to restore the building. Pictures on their website www.victoriabaths.org.uk. Phone lines are open Thurs, Fri, Sat and the number to vote for Victoria Baths is 09010 77 77 77. Calls cost 30p of which 17.9p goes towards the Restoration Fund.
VICTORIA PARK BATHING POND	Eagle eyed pool campaigners have spotted an unused bathing pond in Victoria Park. Hidden behind the bandstand the lake is very overgrown, but carries a notice saying it was closed in 1936 as it was no longer needed because of the Victoria Park lido. This is the lido which is now a car park.
MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN	We're running a membership campaign for the Haggerston Pool Community Trust. Letters and forms have been sent out to all the schools and tenants associations in the Haggerston area. Membership can be for individuals or groups/organisations. The point of this is to demonstrate the degree of local support for having a swimming facility back at Haggerston. We are especially interested in organisations joining as we can print lists of groups who support us in newsletters and leaflets. Having individuals join is also useful though as we can publicise the number of people who have joined - though individual names will not be used. A membership form and explanation letter is attached - if you would like to demonstrate your support by joining the campaign, whether you are an individual or represent an organisation, that would be appreciated. Any problems reading the documents please contact me and I'll post them to you.
OPEN HOUSE	Haggerston Pool is to be part of the London Open House program that takes place on September 21st and 22nd. This is a London wide event, widely publicised, when many buildings not normally accessible, are opened to the public. (More information www.londonopenhouse.org or 020 7267 2070). Access to the pool building will be limited to the pool hall and gallery with small groups of the public stewarded by volunteers from the pool campaign.
LONDON FIELDS LIDO EVENT	London Fields User Group held a very popular event in London Fields on Saturday July 12th to publicise the plans to re-open London Fields Lido. Working with the Environment Trust, Matthew Lloyd architects and Market Sports, LFUG have put together plans to cover the lido and incorporate the tennis courts in a new pool and health club. Visitors were able to look round the lido, and comment on the architects model for the development.
HAGGERSTON POOL MEETING	The next pool meeting is the second Thursday in September (11th) at 7pm at Haggerston Community Centre which is at 179 Haggerston Road. Main item will be planning for the Open House event. More details nearer the time.