NEWS

The Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee meets next on Monday 24 January 2022.  This meeting starts at 5.30 pm and can be viewed online here.  The full agenda and supporting papers for the meeting can be seen here (14MB).  At page 111 there are details of the proposed charges for swimming in the 2022/23 season which are based on a 4.9% increase to prices.  At pages 91-93 the proposed swimming arrangements for the summer season are set out including a return of the online booking system to restrict access between midday and 4.45 pm each day. 

Meetings of the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee are usually held shortly before the next meeting of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Woods and Queen’s Park Management Committee, giving us some idea of what decisions will be put to the Management Committee affecting the running of the bathing ponds and Heath generally.  However the Covid delayed local elections are being held for the City of London Corporation on 24 March 2022 so there is a longer gap this time.  We expect the next management committee meeting to be held on 4 May 2022 (details here).  It is not therefore clear how the decisions on charging and the summer 2022 swimming arrangements will be mandated in time for 1 April 2022.

At the last meeting of the Sports and Wellbeing Advisory Forum on 11 January 2022, the KLPA and Highgate Men’s Pond Association (HMPA) asked for the age-related free swimming times to be extended, as these currently clash with the provision of free travel for swimmers over the age of 60.  The current arrangement does not give swimmers under 16 or over 60 a real choice about when to swim, affordably.  This request was refused, pending the outcome of the forthcoming Judicial Review, despite age-related concessions having no logical link to the legal case based on a claim of disability discrimination. Anne Fairweather, who was chairing the meeting expressed the view it would have been better to have discussions rather than revert to legal action, but the swimmers’ associations, including the KLPA, have offered to work with the City repeatedly since 2020 to address income generation without exclusion, but to no avail.  Hence the Judicial Review which is taking place on 23-24 February 2022.  Both the KLPA and HMPA also objected at the Forum to the return of online booking now that most Covid-related restrictions have been lifted.

During the last 6 months there have been significant changes of personnel affecting the Heath, both “elected” members of the City of London Corporation and senior managers connected with the running of the Heath.  These changes are also continuing:

• August 2021 – Retirement of Heath Superintendent Bob Warnock, who recommended and oversaw the new charging regime at the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds from 2020.
• August 2021 – January 2022 – Acting Heath Superintendent in place, Richard Gentry, who has now returned to his substantive post.
• October 2021 – Retirement of Director of Open Spaces Colin Buttery(manager of Superintendent).
• November 2021 – Former Chair of Management Committee, Karina Dostalova, who oversaw charging decisions in March 2020, stood down entirely from City of London Corporation.
• January 2022 – New Heath Superintendent in post, Stefania Horne.
• January 2022 – Departure of Business Manager Open Spaces Department, Yvette Hughes.
• March 2022 – Current Chair of Management Committee, Anne Fairweather, who continued the implementation of the new swimming charging regime, to stand down entirely from City of London Corporation.

Management of the Heath and the bathing ponds in particular appears to be going through a period of instability, which the KLPA and other swimmers’ associations will continue to monitor and attempt to hold to account.

Welcome to 2022.  We hope this will be an easier year for everyone after the difficulties of 2020 and 2021.

The Judicial Review supported by the KLPA, which is challenging the charging regime at the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds on grounds of Disability Discrimination, is due to take place on 23-24 February 2022.  There are still ways in which you can support this challenge before the date of the hearing:

1. The Crowd Funding page is still live here and so far we have raised over £11,500 from more than 350 supporters.  Please contribute what you can and share the details with friends, family and colleagues.  When we have more details of the arrangements at court for a public gallery, we will let members know.
    
2. On Saturday 22 January 2022 between 9 am and 11 am, the KLPA will be selling merchandise at the Ladies’ Pond.  KLPA hi-viz knitted hats, seasonal KLPA mugs and the Wild Swimming Walks book will all be on sale for £10 each. The hats and mugs can be bought as sets of 4 (including mix and match options) for £35.  Hi-viz hats continue to help the lifeguards keep swimmers safe at this time of year when visibility at the pond can be poor.

The KLPA is continuing to participate in meetings with City of London Corporation managers, to engage constructively where possible and to challenge the worst excesses of their charging regime where necessary.  This week at the Sports and Wellbeing Forum we heard the news that the Chair of the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Woods and Queen’s Park Management Committee, Anne Fairweather, is stepping down in March, one year earlier than expected.  We await news of her successor.  Details are reported here in Ham & High.

We will continue to keep members informed of any new developments in the meantime.

It has been another difficult year, both locally at the Ladies’ Pond and in the world beyond.  Swimmers have continued to make the Ladies’ Pond the special place that it is, with the support of the fantastic lifeguard team.

This Christmas will again be very different, and there will be no New Year’s Day celebration at the Ladies’ Pond.  The reasons for this, intended to help reduce the risk of spreading the Coronavirus, are understandable and supported by the KLPA.  We will still miss the raucous and irreverent gathering of our pond community to see in New Year 2022.  This last happened for New Year 2020 (local press coverage here). 

We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and a healthy New Year, when hopefully the KLPA can resume its social activities.

On Saturday 11 December 2021, 9-11 am, KLPA merchandise will again be on sale at the Ladies’ Pond.

Whether you are buying Christmas presents, or treating yourself, come along to support the KLPA’s campaigning work. We will have mugs designed by pond swimmer Sue Hellard, high-viz knitted hats and copies of the ever popular Wild Swimming Walks book. 

These items are all £10 each. The mugs and hats can be purchased as sets of four for £35 (with mix and match options). The price of the book is already discounted from the retail price of £14.99.  We can take payment by cash, cheque or card.

The KLPA is also still fund-raising to support the costs of a Judicial Review which challenges the current charging regime at the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds.  If you would like to donate to this cause directly, you can still do so here. Over 350 supporters have already pledged money to this cause. The case is now listed for hearing on 23-24 February 2022 at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The application for Judicial Review, which the KLPA is supporting and fund-raising for, was adjourned in November 2021. This application challenges the current charging regime at the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds, on grounds of disability discrimination, and the claimant is KLPA member Christina Efthimiou.

We now have a new date for the hearing, which is listed for one and a half days:
 Wednesday 23 February 2022 to Thursday 24 February 2022

The hearing will take place at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, London WC2A 2LL.

Details of the court number and public gallery capacity will be made available to us much nearer to the date of the hearing, and members will be informed then about how best to show support on the day.

Members can show their support in the meantime by contributing to our crowd funding page for the case here, and please encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do likewise.

Thank you to everyone who has helped so far.

The KLPA hi-viz hats are proving popular again this year.  Last Saturday a new delivery of hats sold out completely. We have another batch on order which will, we hope, arrive in time for the (now fully booked) Tea Party on Sunday 28 November 2021.

Unfortunately, due to an increase in our supplier’s costs the price of the hats will need to increase to cover these costs. The hats will now be on sale for £10 each or 4 for £35.  We understand that many are bought as presents at this time of year, so you can make a saving when buying several hats. More details of KLPA merchandise can be seen here.

The hats help to make swimmers more visible in poor light during the winter months as well as brightening up any post swim ensemble. Please help support the KLPA’s work to maintain the Ladies’ Pond as an accessible and welcoming space for women and girls now and in the future.

You can help to raise the profile of the KLPA and support its campaigning work with this hard to miss headwear. 

On Saturday 20 November 2021, KLPA hi-viz knitted hats will be on sale at the Ladies’ Pond from 8.30 am to 11 am. These hats have been sourced again this year at the request of lifeguards, so that swimmers who prefer to wear a knitted hat remain visible in poor light. The hats are on sale at £8 each or two for £15 and are available in fluorescent orange or yellow. KLPA pin badges will also be available for £10.  We can take cash, cheque or card payment.

The KLPA Tea Party will take place on the following weekend, on Sunday 28 November 2021, from 3 pm to 5 pm. This feature of the KLPA social calendar is taking place for the first time since 2019, and will be held at the Highgate Library Civic and Cultural Centre (details here). If you wish to attend, please RSVP via the button below as there is a limited capacity of 50 people:

Thank you to members who have offered to help out on the day; we have enough volunteers now and will contact those members shortly.

KLPA merchandise will also be on sale at the Tea Party. In addition to hats, there will be seasonal mugs at £10 each (or a set of four for £35).

This is to let you know that the Judicial Review hearing date of 9-10 November 2021 has had to be adjourned due to unforeseen circumstances.  This does not affect the merits of the case brought by Christina Efthimiou, and supported by the KLPA, and we are awaiting a new hearing date.  We think it is likely that the case will be listed early in the New Year and will update members as soon as we have more information.

Thank you to everyone who has been asking about how to show support on the day and we hope you will not be too disappointed or inconvenienced by this news.

The KLPA is continuing to fundraise for this case and donations can still be received on our crowdfunding page here.

In previous years Hallowe’en has been marked in a colourful and raucous fashion at the Ladies’ Pond. The options were very limited last year and it is still necessary to exercise some caution this year, but the Ladies’ Pond swimmers can never be completely subdued…..

On Sunday 31 October 2021, swimmers are invited to don their spooky costumes, indulge in a little cackling, and to enjoy the spirit of the Ladies’ Pond.

The KLPA will be selling merchandise between 9 am and 11 am at the pond.  This includes our seasonal mugs (£10 each or a set of 4 for £35), knitted hats (£6 each or £10 with a donation) and the Wild Swimming Walks book (£10). We can take payment by cash, cheque or card.

Looking forward to your company whether you are marking All Hallows Eve, Hallowe’en or Samhain.

A Date for Your Diary – 28 November 2021

KLPA members were asked for their views on attending a Winter Tea Party, and voted overwhelmingly in favour.

Please hold Sunday 28 November 2021 in your diary 3-5pm.  We aim to hold a tea party this year, so long as public health advice remains in our favour.  More news to follow.

Following a successful breakfast event at the Ladies’ Pond in September, we are pleased to let you know that KLPA members have been invited for a return visit to Highgate Men’s Pond. The Highgate Men’s Pond Association would like us to join them for a swim and breakfast on Saturday 16 October 2021 from 8 am to 11 am. Hot drinks and croissants will be provided, along with the good company of our comrades from the Men’s Pond.  The invitation has also been extended to the Mixed Pond Association and Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club. In order to access the Men’s Pond it will be necessary to use your season ticket wristband or pay at the entry, as you would at the Ladies’ Pond.  The changing area at the Men’s Pond is no longer divided into two sections but gazebos have been provided to facilitate changing for Ladies’ Pond visitors (a large towel might also come in useful). Children over 8 who have completed their swim test (and have a wristband to prove it) will also be welcome, and will need to be supervised by their adult when at the pond. It is good to see a resumption of the social side of bathing pond swimming on Hampstead Heath, thank you to the HMPA for this invitation.

Petition – Sewage in Rivers Expiring 12 October 2021You may be interested in this parliamentary petition which will be expiring on Tuesday, and has nearly 71,000 signatures as this is written.  It can be considered for debate in Parliament if it reaches 100,000 signatures. “Ban Water Companies discharging raw sewage into water courses. Ensure Water companies treat the sewage they are responsible for. Not discharge it into rivers and water courses. After all what goes into the ocean comes back as the fish we eat.”