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Photos: Fiona Finchett
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Gentle Waters (2025)
Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool, North Yorkshire Project Description A project unpacking the history of Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool, a rural pool in North Yorkshire. The project explores how swimming has been an accessible working class leisure and healing activity. Looking at the site as a place for wellbeing and social history. Capturing the micro stories of people’s feelings and experiences in the pool, and the larger events and activities such as the opening ceremony in 1968, Solstice Swims, and the many group activities. Starting the project a series of workshops, conversations, coffee mornings, captured stories, photographs, memorabilia. Leading to the creation of a podcast collecting these many stories, which you can find below. Dynamite Hot Dog (Sculpture) The project resulted in co-creating an inflatable sculpture called Dynamite Hot Dog that has become resident at the pool. The artwork tells stories of the pools history, referencing its many tales from the dynamite explosions that created its foundations, to the legend of the orange hot dog. In time the sculpture too will become a part of the pools memory, as it becomes a regular addition to the pools Fun Sessions. It’s an artwork to be used, not just looked at. It’s a celebration of the stories that make up the history of the pool Supported and funded by Historic England 
Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool, Helmsley Town Council
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