Lockdown Lido Project: Anfield Road Primary
Midway through lockdown, something wonderful happened.
When Liverpool’s Stanley Park celebrated its 150th anniversary, we tweeted congratulations, with a pic of the lido that was so popular there from 1923 to 1960.
Happy Birthday, Stanley Park! Once home to a much-loved lido (1923 - 1960). 🏊🏼♀️💙🏊🏽♂️ https://t.co/KwRSdkTJm0 pic.twitter.com/7lEmcbsZVU
— The People’s Pool (@PeoplesPool) May 14, 2020
This caught the imagination of a group of children at Anfield Road Primary, who decided to do a week-long project inspired by this piece of Liverpool history.
On Monday, they began by researching the history of Stanley Park, including the lido.
Happy 150th Birthday @stanleypark_liv @glasshousepark 🥳🥳 did you know Stanley Park had 2 swimming pools @PeoplesPool ? pic.twitter.com/ez99JcIb4Q
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 18, 2020
On Tuesday, they looked into the history of lidos and created posters (including a beautiful insight into what happens to lidos in winter).
Today we have been researching the history of the lido in the U.K. We found it fascinating and created some striking research posters @PeoplesPool @stanleypark_liv @LoveYourLido pic.twitter.com/INFzU39IBd
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 19, 2020
They made a video about their findings too.
We also filmed a short presentation of our findings @PeoplesPool @LoveYourLido @stanleypark_liv pic.twitter.com/flSBz2MRCp
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 19, 2020
Then lidos around the country started replying. First Pells Pool…
Hello from Pells Pool in Lewes - we were created in 1861! And we’re the oldest open air public pool still running in the whole of the U.K.! This is the earliest picture of the pool, we think it’s from the 19th century. We love your posters. All best wishes from East Sussex pic.twitter.com/XxF9GYnHTm
— Pells Pool (@PellsPool) May 19, 2020
… then Kimpton Pool
What great posters - well done! Hope you can all enjoy swimming in a lido when it is safe to do so again. Here’s lots of good wishes from our little lido with some of our residents! pic.twitter.com/A4p1fHIGw8
— The Pool Club 🕷 (@kimptonpoolclub) May 19, 2020
… and Grange Lido.
This is Grange Lido in Cumbria that was built in 1932. It has been closed since 1993 and we are currently fundraising to re-open it. It was loved by local children when it was open. pic.twitter.com/Y5Tddr2pz6
— Save Grange Lido (@savegrangelido) May 20, 2020
On Wednesday, they thought about how much the People’s Pool could mean to the community across Merseyside, and wanted to persuade people to help make it happen.
Today we looked at the features of persuasive writing and wrote a plan of what we want to say. Here are some examples of our points @PeoplesPool @stanleypark_liv pic.twitter.com/a09uh3rggl
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 20, 2020
On Thursday, they developed their thoughts into full-blown, beautifully written letters.
We’ve been busy today. Here are some examples of our letters to persuade people to invest in @PeoplesPool project. Would you invest after reading them? ❤️🌈🏊🏼♀️🏊🏼 pic.twitter.com/pHtUuw02Ew
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 21, 2020
And it didn’t stop in the classroom.
When @AnfieldPrimary children decide to support something they support wholeheartedly. This pupil carried on her @PeoplesPool project at home ❤️🌈👏🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/5hV0KeSj6c
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 22, 2020
To round off the project on Friday, they moved on to design.
It was the last day of our project today and we designed our own lidos. We all felt that a diving board was an essential and most of us thought a whirlpool would be nice. We also agreed it should be a place of fun with inflatables and speakers for music @PeoplesPool pic.twitter.com/xznwLYcK1p
— Anfield Road Primary School Music (@AnfieldRPMusic) May 22, 2020
We’re so grateful to the children for their wonderful, imaginative work, and thrilled that they’re so passionate about making the People’s Pool happen. They’re a credit to their school, their parents, their community and their city.