Cottenham Pool 2008

We have a lifeguard for Wednesdays 20th and 27th August but need a supervisor also for those days. So far, no supervisors are available for those days so the sessions may be cancelled.

If you are over 18 years of age and willing to help the lifeguard in an incident (e.g. telephone for help and ask swimmers to leave the pool), in return for a free swim per session supervised, then please email cottenhamlifeguards@hotmail.com with your availability for Wednesday 27th August.

We have received many enquiries about swimming lessons: there are 4-day or 5-day courses scheduled for the weeks of 11, 18 and 25 August. The lessons are being run by experienced teachers from Chesterton Sports Centre - please see the poster at the pool for further details and how to book.

N. B. The lessons will go ahead only if there are enough swimmers booked in each class to cover costs, though - so if you are interested in lessons then please book now in order to ensure that the class you require takes place.

The Swimming Pool at Cottenham Village College will be open throughout the Summer holiday… 23rd July - 31st August 2008

It is heated and open every day: Children £2 Adults £2.50

Monday - Friday

Adult swim 9am - 11 am

General swim (Children and Families have priority Mon and Thurs) 13.30 - 14.30 &  15.00 - 16.00

Tuesday & Thursday Early Birds 7am - 7.45am

It is also open at weekends and is available for private hire

A large item of lost property was found at the pool the weekend of 28 Jun 2008. It was left unclaimed for over a week so has now been removed from the pool area. If you think it is yours, then please send a detailed description of it to cottenhamlifeguards@hotmail.com to reclaim it. 

We are soon to offer swimming lessons for children over 3 years with instructors Hannah Greenwood and Chris Smith both of whom are ASA qualified and work as swimming teachers throughout the year.

Lessons will run subject to demand and, of course, we are at the mercy of the weather, being a heated outdoor pool.

You can view the flyer here.

The pool opened on 24th May and the term-time timetable starts 2nd Jun with adult morning sessions in the meantime. Prices are the same as last year, as are conditions for public hire and private hire.

New for this year are ‘Family priority’ sessions on Monday and Thursday afternoons, where all swimmers must give priority to younger children and their families.

19h45 CVC April 22, 2008

Apologies for the late notice.

Cottenham Swimming Pool nestling in the grounds of CVC behind that big grey fence is now well into its roaring forties. Well, I cannot quite imagine a swimming pool roaring but middle-age spread is yet to set in and the Pool committee is readying itself for the coming season.

As ever, we’ll need a strong team of qualified lifeguards to keep everyone swimmingly safe and volunteers to take the gate money and assist with the phone if there’s ever an emergency. Usual email address for enquiries or offers of help.

We’re hoping for a drier season this year, at least as far as the weather goes. When the weather lets us down, there are only a very few hardcore swimmers who take the plunge. But, when the weather’s fine, there is no nicer place to be than Cottenham’s little oasis.

We had some very generous support last year from the Jenny Kay Memorial Fund, Accio Marquees, Cottenham Newsletter, the Feast Committee, some of the local Fen Edge Parish Councils (Cottenham, Landbeach, Rampton, and Willingham), and from Fun Runners and Feast participants, our cake bakers, as well as you the swimmers, of course. Those donations, together with gate takings, have covered the maintenance and lifeguarding bills for the 2007 season and paid for the replacement of the water pump. So, once again, many thanks to our supporters.

Your support, both as a volunteer helper and financially, is needed now more than ever. Swimming pools rarely run at a profit, even indoor pools that are not affected by the changing weather survive only by supplementing their income with food and drink sales and optional extras such as sunbeds and saunas. Unfortunately, as a volunteer-run pool we cannot offer anything so grand. But, we can offer an escape and a chance to get fit with a sprightly forty-something.

We are now organising lifeguards and a timetable for the 2008 season and hope to begin swimming at the second May Bank Holiday weekend. So make sure you dig out your swimming kit from your summer drawer in plenty of time and if you or your company would like to support the Cottenham Pool this year, please get in touch.

Inspired by the book Liquid Assets and their shared passion for outdoor swimming Bob Holman & Dave Pratten intend to swim a mile in every outdoor pool or lido in the UK. Currently, the number stands at 98, 99 or 100 – they think one or two may have reopened. The challenge began in Somerset on May 19th 2007. Many of the pools are not heated and therefore their opening times are sometimes, but not always(!), limited to the summer months. It may take two summers, but they’re doing it for Save The Children, so please give generously.

They will enter the balmy waters of Cottenham Pool at 9am on August 9th (Thursday). You’re welcome to join them and, of course, make a donation!

New for 2007 is the option of ‘Public Hire’. The volunteer ‘Swimming Pool Association’ that runs the pool cannot afford to run sessions at all times, but you can choose extra times for the pool to be open.

If you want to swim outside the usual timetable:

A: choose a time a week in advance and pay 15 pounds for the booking: this fee covers an hour of swimming for 10 swimmers

B: give us the list of up to 10 swimmers (we are not asking for contact details, just forenames or initials are fine)

C: name 2 of the swimmers, or others who will be at the pool to spectate, as responsible adults who could assist the lifeguard in an incident (these adults must identify themselves to the lifeguard on duty when they arrive and must be present for the whole hour in order for the session to run)

The pool will then be open to the public for your extra hour,
with one lifeguard on duty. Swimmers on your named list will not need to pay an entry fee because their entry is covered by the booking charge. Other swimmers (those not on your list) will be allowed to swim under the normal arrangements for a ‘General Swim’ session (they pay the standard entry fee).

If we cannot open the pool because of no lifeguard is available or there is a problem with the pool itself, then we will refund your booking fee.  We cannot normally give refunds if you cancel because of (e.g.) weather conditions or other reasons.

Book at the pool, or by mailing cottenhamlifeguards@hotmail.com, or leave a message/text on the LidoPhone: 07948 255278.