One of Dartington’s biggest community fundraisers returns on Saturday, 11 July, as local residents continue efforts to reopen the village’s much-loved outdoor swimming pool.

The Meadowbrook Extravaganza will take place at Meadowbrook Community Centre from 12:00 noon to 5pm, featuring live music, food, a dog show, bouncy castles, a football tournament, family sauna sessions, and so much more.

The annual fête aims to raise funds to reopen Dartington’s outdoor pool, which closed in 2022 after serving the community for nearly 50 years.

The pool was originally hand-dug in 1973 by local farmers, plumbers, tradespeople and volunteers using borrowed equipment, and generations of children learned to swim there.

Now, with planning permission secured, a quantity surveyor appointed and a five-year business plan in development, the Dartington Recreation Association (DRA) says the campaign is gathering pace.

Urszula Kossakowska, of the DRA, said: "For nearly 50 years, local children learned to swim in this pool. We want today's children to have the same opportunity – not just for fun, but for confidence, wellbeing and the life skill of being able to swim safely."

Plans include a new 25-metre pool, longer than the original, with improved accessibility and sustainable heating.

The DRA says it would also be available to local schools for swimming lessons and water safety training, highlighting that five schools are within walking distance of the site.

Kossakowska added: "This time last year, we had a vision. Today, we have planning permission, professional expertise around us and a clear roadmap for delivering the project. It still won't happen overnight, but we're much closer than we were 12 months ago.

"The Extravaganza is a brilliant day out in its own right, but it is also an opportunity for people to see the progress we've made, ask questions and become part of the next chapter in bringing the pool back to Dartington."

The DRA is working with Sporting Assets, specialists in community sport and leisure, to develop a five-year business plan that will support bids to major funders.

Ahead of the event, firefighters from Totnes Fire Station used the disused pool for a high-volume water pumping exercise on Thursday, July 2.

Beyond training new firefighters, the exercise removed remaining water and debris, making the site safer for volunteers preparing for demolition and construction.

William Webb, a Dartington Parish councillor and DRA trustee, said drowning was the third most common cause of accidental death among children.

"We all know that time and money spent on education and training is at the forefront of accident prevention and lifesaving," he said. "We believe all children should have the opportunity to learn how to swim and be taught how to stay safe in and around water."

As an estimate, the new pool could cost up to £500,000, with funds secured through grants and council investment, as well as community fundraising.

Supporters say it will provide a lasting community asset, with fully accessible changing facilities and step-free access so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the benefits of swimming.