In the late 1920’s local estate owners, the ‘Tynnes’ invested in an environment for locals to safely swim and enjoy the benefits of the cold sea water. The only condition of the build- for the amenity to be free to everyone, a rule that remains the same to this day.
The beautiful tidal pool is managed and preserved by the local charity Friends of Bude Sea Pool (FoBSP) who formed in May 2011, in a last ditch attempt to save the Sea Pool from imminent closure. Since then, the charity have become a pillar in the community, channelling passion for the much loved pool and relying on charitable donations to keep it up and running. The founding members of the group aimed to improve and preserve the Sea Pool while championing sustainability and educating the community. With spirit and dedication driving the growth of the charity, 12 years on, Bude Sea Pool is a thriving hot-spot in the heart of the community and an inspiration to what commitment can achieve.
“If you’re passionate about something, you make time for it!”
- Deb Rosser, FoBSP founding member and Pool Manager of Bude Sea Pool.
The attraction costs approximately £100,000 a year to keep running safely, and is completely reliant on the generosity of visitors and locals. Fund raisers such as ‘Bude Sea Pool Channel Challenge 2023’, and ‘Bude Sea Pool Dip & Sip’ are hosted by the FoBSP, encouraging the community to use the pool, and engage with the charity.
FoBSP are committed to educating local pupils around the importance of preserving the historic pool. The charity have been visiting schools with the hope to eventually run programmes and activities in the classroom and poolside.
The pool is also a hub for mental wellbeing groups and charities. The Pearl Exchange run free swimming lessons for young adults aged 18-30, while Mental Health Swims (MHS) hold an all-inclusive swim group. These groups are an opportunity for people of all ages to learn new skills, gain self-confidence and meet likeminded individuals in the community.
The Sea Pool resides in the cliffs of Summerleaze beach, with the natural beauty of the pool attracting visitors to the gorgeous spot. The location of the pool means that the walls, railings and steps are subjected to constant erosion from the salty wind and air as well as the Atlantic storms. Therefore, each year Bude Sea Pool is closed and drained in order to sustain and enhance the pool for current and future generations. As with previous years, our logistics team recently loaded up the delivery trucks with handrails and fences, delivering them down to Summerleaze carpark to be installed before the busy summer arrives.
We also donated and delivered 1 bott cubio cupboard and 4 bott verso cupboards for the FoBSP Hub located on the Sea Pool terrace. Each heavy- duty cupboard is a dedicated space for event equipment, display boards, gazebos, crockery for community lunches and merchandise, all safely secured in lockable cupboards. Heavily reliant on merchandise sales as the primary income of the charity, the FoBSP are now using 2 cupboards to keep their stock orderly and to hand, creating an efficient pop up shop in their hub. The storage solutions have also meant that the hub has more available space for meetings, community events and small groups such as the weekly yoga class.
“The bott cabinets have been in situ in the Hub for only a few weeks but already they are proving invaluable. In the past, Pool crew and volunteers have had to use storage boxes for merchandise stock and events equipment. Now Pool Crew have easily accessible, well designed and robust stock cabinets. A dedicated, catering cupboard, means our Catering Volunteers now have easily accessible storage for all the kit necessary to serve our homemade cakes and refreshments in the Hub at our regular poolside fundraising events.
The teams are "beyond happy" to quote one of them! The other two cabinets that bott so kindly donated to FoBSP, are already full of now, very well organised events equipment - from our gazebo to flip charts to display boards. The 5 units have not only, made accessing equipment and stock so much easier, they have freed up a lot of space to now be utilised for the public when visiting the Hub, and local schools and community groups who use the facility.
From the time I approached bott to enquire if there were any storage items available for a special price and then to be told yes and that they were to be donated to FoBSP, I have nothing but praise for how we were looked after. Jack Miles met me and showed me what was available, and arranged the cabinets to be transported to Summerleaze Car Park to tie in with when our contractors, Vanstones were on site to help with getting the items across the Downs and down the steps to the Hub! No comment regarding the muscle power needed for this manoeuvre with such robust but weighty items! bott customer service has been exemplary and FoBSP cannot thank you enough for your generosity and for enabling us to have the much needed storage solution we could never have dreamt we would ever have. A massive THANK YOU from FoBSP, Pool Crew and our events and catering volunteer teams.”
- Deb Rosser, FoBSP founding member and Pool Manager of Bude Sea Pool.
