For 85 years, Jubilee Pool on my street in Knowle, Bristol, has been serving our local community. It is much-loved and well-used. Over 4,500 people - including children from seven schools - have used the pool since we campaigned for it to reopen after lockdown in April 2021. Now it will be closed by Bristol City Council in 2022 unless we can take it into community ownership.
Friends of Jubilee Pool is a community group fighting not only to keep the pool open but to make sure it meets the needs of the local community to the greatest extent possible. We have a management group of 19 committed and highly-skilled volunteers and we are bidding to take over the pool through a community asset transfer (CAT).
Jubilee Pool is situated amongst some of the poorest parts of Bristol with the worst socio-economic and health outcomes. The city’s 10 most deprived neighbourhoods are all in the South Bristol area. Mortality rates for respiratory disease in people under 75 years in Knowle are 69.6 per 100,000 compared to the average of 36.5 for Bristol. 23.0% of children in Reception year in Bristol and 33.9% of Year 6 pupils are overweight or obese. Opportunities for physical activity in our local area are critically needed.
Jubilee Pool is one of the smaller leisure facilities in Bristol. This attracts people from afar whose personal circumstances render other larger pools inaccessible. For example, the pool is important to people with learning or sensory disabilities who are overwhelmed by large groups of people in noisy environments, by older adults, and by survivors of violence and abuse. It is also a registered 'dementia-friendly' pool and is important for supporting social connection and our sense of community.
I use the gym or pool facilities at Jubilee Pool every other day. It is really important for my physical and mental health, and I know that many other people using it feel the same way. Please donate to support our efforts to keep the pool running. Thank you!
