Buckfastleigh Open Air pool is celebrating a £36,345 award by Valencia Communities Fund to upgrade its aging pump and filtration system – keeping the water sparkling and saving energy too.

The investment was provided by the Valencia Communities Fund, through the Landfill Communities Fund. It will enable the charity to install 2 new energy efficient variable speed pumps, install a new automated dosing system and replace the ageing filtration systems.

The pool team will be working with local experts to remove the old plant equipment and install the new kit, ready for the start of the summer season on May 27, 2023.

Pam Barrett, Chair of trustees for the registered charity pool and park said: 'We are very grateful to Valencia Communities Fund for this funding which will help us reduce the energy used to move the pool water through the pump and filtration system – keeping it clean and sparkling for all our users.

'Business energy bills are so high now, this funding really couldn’t have come at a better time. We hope that this work, alongside our other planned fundraising activities, will help us meet the soaring costs.'

Victoria Park / Buckfastleigh Open Air Pool is a registered charity, established in the 1897. At 126 years old it is one of the oldest pools in England.