A quick chat with Hampton Pool Trustee, Jill Livesey

Why Hampton Pool matters!

My love for Lido’s began when I was little. I learned to swim at the Oasis open‑air pool in central London, where my father Peter Stechman worked, he was a huge ambassador for Lidos working tirelessly with many Lidos facing closure in the 1980’s. He introduced me to Hampton Pool in 1999, 27 years later I’m still swimming here, I can hardly believe it.

During the pandemic, a copy of Poolside Chat landed on my doorstep. I had no idea Hampton Pool was a charity, gearing up to celebrate its 100th birthday. I reached out to see if I could help, and before long I’d become a trustee and joined the board.

Experiencing the forced closure of swimming pools during the pandemic, is a reason why I do all I can to protect this magical place, I want to help make sure there is always a Lido for the Hampton community.

As a trustee, I help support the Trust’s strategy, volunteer at the brilliant summer concerts, and take part in local fundraising events. Throughout the year, we take our Trust stall to events in Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton, selling merchandise and raffle tickets. The money we raise may be modest, but the real value is the conversations we have; connecting with the community is at the heart of the Trust.

I love hearing people’s stories and their memories of Hampton Pool, I often wonder just how many local children learned to swim here.

What makes Hampton Pool so special? Of course, there’s the joy of outdoor swimming all year round. I go to many of the gym classes; the instructors are fantastic. My son learned to swim here and now he’s a Hampton Pool Lifeguard; this makes it feel even more like home. The summer concerts… where do I begin? We have an incredible team of loyal volunteers; it’s hard work but incredibly rewarding. Watching audiences come together to sing, dance, and simply enjoy being in the moment is pure magic.

If you care about the future of Hampton Pool, please consider donating, and if you have time to give, we’d love to hear from you. The board is made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds, accountants, lawyers, media, education, I’ve learned so much from them. What unites us is simple: a shared passion for ensuring Hampton Pool thrives for generations to come.