The public-facing launch of The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity* formalises the work of the volunteer group with the same name (established in the 1980s) and coincides with the start of a first major fundraising campaign: to install a large, bespoke community sauna to support swimmer wellbeing and enhance all-year-round amenity of the pool.
The Charity was formed by a group of passionate Jesus Green swimmers – with six trustees leading the organisation. Working closely with volunteer committees, Cambridge City Council (the pool owner) and GLL (the charitable social enterprise that operates the pool), the charity will work to help deliver incremental improvements at the Lido, build further community support, and advocate for sustainable investments that will ensure the Lido serves Cambridge for generations to come.
The Charity’s first fundraising campaign aims to raise money for a new purpose-built community sauna that will significantly enhance the offer at the Lido. Cold-water swimming is now widely recognised for its physical and mental health benefits and the Lido has been open for four successive winters – with visitor numbers increasing year-on-year. The addition of a large modern sauna – to complement an existing small one – will deepen the Lido’s role as a hub for health and wellbeing.
Outline plans for the new sauna, which are subject to fundraising, include a large bespoke sauna complete with cooling showers and cold-water tubs for dipping – with initial design concepts carefully considered to complement the historic character of the Lido.
The Charity launched at an event at The Tivoli on Thursday 14th May 2026. Swimmers heard from Charity trustees about their objectives and plans for the new sauna. Ian Ross from Cambridge City Council spoke to the audience about how the Lido is operated. There were also two guest speakers:
- Simon Griffiths, Founder of Outdoor Swimmer magazine, and an all-year round open water swimmer and a huge champion of lidos, spoke about swimming through the seasons, giving practical tips and guidelines
- Gabrielle Reason, a Director and Council Representative of the British Sauna Society, talked about the boom in UK sauna culture and how regular sauna usage can improve physical and mental wellbeing through social connection and ritual.
Nicky Blanning, the Chair of Trustees of The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity, said: “Jesus Green Lido is much more than a swimming pool. It is a place of connection, resilience and wellbeing for thousands of people. It’s been part of the City’s character for more than 100 years. We’ve formed the Charity to look beyond the immediate horizon and focus on what the Lido needs to thrive long into the future. Formally launching our work, with a wellbeing-focused project, felt like the right place to start.”
“We already have one small sauna at the pool, which is frequently full. Building a new community sauna, will allow more swimmers to warm up safely in the colder months and experience the well-documented health benefits that come from regular use – including improved circulation, enhanced muscle recovery, reduced stress levels, and overall cardiovascular wellbeing. The new sauna will be a powerful addition to the pool and a meaningful improvement to what the Lido already offers Cambridge residents and visitors to our city. For the Charity, this is a first fundraising project that is both practical and transformative – and will hopefully pave the way for bigger investments at the Lido. We hope the community will get behind us.”
The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity is looking to raise £150k for its sauna appeal and inviting individuals, businesses and community groups to support its efforts through donations, fundraising events and sponsored challenges. Supporters can donate via the charity’s website: https://jesusgreenlido.org/donate/ or at its Just Giving page: https://justgiving.com/campaign/new-sauna-for-jesus-green-lido
Further information about the Charity and how to get involved with its work can be found at: https://jesusgreenlido.org/ or by emailing: [email protected]
About The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity
The Friends of Jesus Green Lido is a registered charity (No. 1203117) founded to help protect and celebrate one of Cambridge’s most loved outdoor spaces. Formalising the work of the volunteer group with the same name, the charity is working to help actively shape the next century of swimming at Jesus Green Lido – a precious community asset used by thousands of people every year. Working alongside the pool owner (Cambridge City Council) and pool operator (GLL / Better), the charity has three core objectives:
- To help safeguard the future of Jesus Green Lido
- To encourage and enable Cambridge residents and visitors to the city to enjoy outdoor swimming, safely
- To champion the social, physical, and mental health benefits of outdoor swimming and related activities.
For more information go to: www.jesusgreenlido.org or email: [email protected]
Footnotes
* The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity was registered with the Charity Commission in May 2023 – with trustees working behind the scenes until now to research other lidos nationwide, build relationships with lido stakeholders, and seek the feedback of swimmers at the pool on the kind of improvements they would like to see.
