Alresford Primary School considering fate of pool fundraiser

Alresford Primary School, in Ford Lane, faced a £30,000 bill to upgrade its private pool in 2022.

The heated, one-metre-deep pool meant swimming lessons could take place all year round.

Alresford Primary School’s swimming pool, which is heated and used for year-round lessons. (Image: NQ Archive)

But the fundraising has slowed, leaving the school to decide whether to press on with the revamp.

In a letter, headteacher Sarah Bryson said: “When we first started fundraising for our pool we worked so hard as a community to raise money, hours writing bids for grants, running events, etc and I can’t thank everyone enough.

“It became apparent during this time that due to the rising energy costs since the pool closed and the dwindling school budgets we would not be able to afford to run the pool unless we rent it out to other schools and swim schools out of school hours for private lessons and parties.”

But the pool was built to domestic standards, so it cannot be hired out.

Comparison - The Alresford Primary School pool while it was open (left) and now (right) (Image: Alresford Primary School)

The appeal started well, but it soon became clear it would take a long time to raise the money.

Mrs Bryson said: “We are now at a pivotal point and have some huge decisions to make. Do we continue trying to raise a few hundred here or a thousand there and just wait years to get to the point where we have enough?

“The trouble with this is people want the money they donate to impact their children and at the rate we have been raising money this is not possible.

“If we give up on the project then we will need to start the mammoth task of contacting all the donors to ask if they are happy for the money they gave towards the pool to be used for other things for the children or school, or if they would like their money returned.

“We are heartbroken to be in this situation.

"The hours that have been invested in this project by a number of people make it a very emotive decision to make, but one we have been backed into a corner of making.”

The school has now put the fundraising on hold and is asking people who have donated to get in touch.