Portishead Open Air Pool

The Portishead Open Air Pool is now being managed by the Portishead Pool Community Trust, and is no longer a North Somerset Council facility. The pool is operated by teams of volunteers, together with paid Pool Manager and Life Guard staff. To be kept up-to-date on all pool news, please subscribe to the regular email newsletters; the link for this is also on the Get Involved page. To contribute your ideas, pictures,and anything on the pool, please click this link.

The forecast weather for May is not favourable and recent swimmer numbers have been lower than expected.  The cooler weather does mean that our running costs have to be managed closely.  We have reviewed the opening times and with immediate effect, the opening times for May are: 

Early morning swims              7.00am to 8.30am, Monday, Wednesday and Friday (unchanged) 

Weekday afternoons               4.00pm to 7.00pm. 

Weekends                         1.00pm to 6.00pm 

This schedule will continue throughout May, HOWEVER, we do recognise that the weather can improve, and we can rapidly respond if this is the case, and revert to longer hours.  This measure is needed, to limit the uneconomic opening of your pool.

We are still looking for lifeguards to join our team at the Pool  from early April until October 2012, particularly on weekday afternoons.

Salary / Hours of work: 10-36 hours per week. £5.93 per hour depending on experience and in line with the national minimum wage.

The main purpose of these posts is to supervise the security and safety of the public in all areas of the facility, carry out rescues if required, assist the pool/duty manager in the preparation of the pool in a professional manner.
All posts will require a CRB check and will require a current National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ).

For further details / job descriptions, please view/download the job descriptions: Lifeguard job description

Please email manager@portisheadopenairpool.org.uk with your contact details.

Schools who have not yet registered to take part in the Mini Olympics at the pool are being urged to come forward as soon as possible.  There are a limited number of places left (in particular for secondary schools) for swimming events that will take place week commencing 9 July.  Each school will be allocated a day to bring all years to compete against other schools with a medal ceremony being held at the end.  It is hoped to have a special guest presenting the medals and the day will end with a large pool inflatable for all to enjoy.  For more information and to register (deadline is Friday 20th April) contact Chrissy on 07815 427583

The April issue of the Portishead Open Air Pool eNewsletter is out now. Click here to download your copy.  To read more about the health benefits and risks of sun exposure in Professor Gunnell's article on page 4, click here

If you are not already on our email list, click this link: http://www.portisheadopenairpool.org.uk/lists/?p=subscribe to ensure that you get all future editions.

Sunday 1 July 8.30am – starting at Portishead Open Air Pool – it’s a great way to get a taste of Britain’s fastest growing endurance sport.

New for 2012, the Sri Chinmoy Athletic Club UK is promoting this as ‘The Perfect Beginner’s Triathlon’ and also the perfect practice race for anyone planning to do the Bristol Triathlon later in July.  It starts with 8 lengths of the pool, followed by bike ride of 17k between Portishead and Clevedon and a 3k, two lap circuit of the Lake Grounds.  Anyone 15 or over is welcome to enter.  Click here, for more details and to enter online.

Sunday 17 June  - after a sell-out year in 2011, the Portishead Triathlon is back for 2012, taking place Sunday 17 June .  Wave starts from the pool from 7:30 to 10:40am.

A great coastal location with a superb outdoor 33m pool venue means this event is already creating a buzz in the Bristol area. With a top sponsor on board and some renowned triathlon clubs in the vicinity of the venue, this race looks set to be very popular in its second year.

Race Distance:   400m pool swim, 25k bike, 5k run

For details and to sign up online, go to DB Max

Other than life guarding, the pool's operation is almost totally dependent on volunteers. The main volunteer duties are reception, selling tickets, and helping out in the tuck shop; without enough volunteers on duty we might have to reduce pool and/or tuck shop opening hours. So, if you enjoy using the pool, please sign up for a slot. Although signing up for a regular slot is great, we also appreciate than not everyone is able to do this, so helping out now and again is also really valuable - especially over half-term and the school holidays, and at weekends.

To sign up, go to http://www.supersaas.com/schedule/PortisheadOpenAirPool/Volunteer_Work. The first slots are on Saturday 21st April. Most volunteer slots are for 2 people, so look for slots with 0 or 1 person currently signed up. If you'd like more information, contact Ann on 0781 309 5126.

We are pleased to announce that we have completed a new lease of the Pool restaurant/café to Portishead Bar Limited. Click here to see the Press Release

Season tickets for 2012 are now available.  Please download the application form by going to our Prices and Tickets page and clicking on the link.

In order to ensure safety and to allow everyone to get into the water on very busy days, we will be implementing the following procedure:

• The site can accommodate 500 people but when the pool reaches bathing capacity, which is up to 120 when we have three lifeguards, we will stop people entering the main pool and erect a temporary barrier at the entry and exit of the pool area. These will be manned by volunteers in orange shirts. 
• People wanting to swim will need to form a queue from the poolside entry point (nearest to the changing room exit). The queue will run down the outside of the railings towards the old diving boards and so on. 
• A klaxon will be sounded and everyone in the water must get out to the far side. This will be organised by a volunteer (orange shirt) or a lifeguard (yellow shirt) under the direction of the Duty Manager. 
• When the pool is empty of swimmers, the next batch of up to 120 will be allowed into the water for their 20 minute session. 
• The person with the red shirt is the duty manager of the day and those in yellow shirts are lifeguards. Everyone must obey any instructions from these personnel who are there to ensure your safety. 
• When the site, ie the whole venue, has reached its capacity of 500, we will operate a one out, one in policy at reception and there will be a notice or announcements outside to that effect.

The Trust would like supporters of the pool to become Members of the Trust.

There are two categories of membership: a £10.00 Annual Membership, and a Founder Membership of £250.00. The Founder Membership confers lifetime membership of the Trust, and will help the Trust raise some much needed funds during the first years as a community-run organization, as the Trust repair and improve the pool. As a Member, you will have:

• the right to vote,
• the right to stand for election to the committee,
• the right to have a real say in the future direction of the pool now it has been saved. 

For more information, please download the information sheet and application form.

For information on renewing an existing membership, please download the rules sheet and renewal application form.