A Facility Built By The Community,
For The Community
Totnes & District Swimming Pool Association has been part of local life for generations — a place to swim, move, learn, recover, connect and have fun.
Our Story
Originally founded through a community initiative in the 1970s, the facility was created to improve health, wellbeing and access to recreation for local people. Decades later, that mission still matters.
From children learning to swim for the first time to older residents staying active, the pool continues to serve people of all ages and backgrounds across Totnes and the surrounding district.
Our Mission
Charitable objectives
To promote, for the benefit of the inhabitants of Totnes and the surrounding area, the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure-time occupation for individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship, or social and economic circumstances, or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare, with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.
Charity number: 1164260
PAST
Totnes & District Swimming Pool Association was formed by former Mayor of Totnes, Courtney Blake in 1967. His desire was to build a swimming pool for the people of Totnes, and surrounding areas. He acquired planning permission, applied for grants and donations and finally the pool was built by Courtney (a building contractor). The pool opened in 1975.
The pool was managed and operated by volunteers.
In 1988 South Hams District Council approved a new sports pavilion, attached to the pool building, and a partnership was formed. Over the following years many costly improvements were made including the addition of the Health Suite.
This was all the result of the vision of one man – Courtney Blake and the support of local residents and South Hams District Council.
PRESENT
In 2017 South Hams District Council (SHDC) appointed Fusion Lifestyle to operate all leisure facilities across the South Hams on the grounds they substantially invested in the sites, including TADpool’s in Totnes.
Through financial mismanagement Fusion Lifestyle went into administration in December 2025 without ever investing in the Totnes location despite years of empty promises, lengthy legal negotiations and costly planning.
TADpool worked with SHDC through the administration phase to ensure the facility remained open and all staff were retained. In June 2026 SHDC appointed Parkwood to run all sites under emergency provision for a minimum of 12 months with the agreement of TADpool.
During this time SHDC and TADpool will seek to find a longer term leisure partner.
TADpool is still run by volunteers.
FUTURE
TADpool are now working independently and in conjunction with SHDC to look at the longer term provision of leisure in Totnes.
The primary objective being the long overdue full refurbishment of the site at Borough Park.
To facilitate this TADpool will work with SHDC for a longer term lease position to ensure whoever is awarded the contract will have sufficient time to realise a decent return on investment, as was also the plan with Fusion.
The new lease will also provide TADpool with the ability to work in tandem with the new provider from a fund raising and grant perspective to continue to meet our charitable objectives of the future those originally set out in 1967.
Help Keep The Facility Thriving
Community spaces only survive when communities support them. Whether through fundraising, partnerships, volunteering or simply visiting the pool, every contribution helps keep this much-loved space active for future generations.