Month: June 2022

After four months, we now have a decision on the Judicial Review which took place at the High Court on 23-24 February 2022. We can confirm the following brief information today and will write to members with more details as soon as there has been an opportunity to read the judgement in depth.

The claim for disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments has not been upheld by the High Court. This is of course disappointing news but we are pleased to have been able to support Christina Efthimiou in this case, which was very important to bring. We will also continue to campaign through other channels for the return of inclusivity at the bathing ponds, which had provided a safe and healing space for so many people in the past regardless of their income.

The KLPA would like to thank Christina Efthimiou for having the courage to pursue this important issue.  We would also like to thank the legal team at Leigh Day led by Kate Egerton, as well as our representative in Court Zoe Leventhal QC and her team at Matrix Chambers, for all of their hard work and dedication.

We will provide members with more detail when there has been an opportunity to analyse the contents of the judgement. 

Thank you to all KLPA members and to everyone else who has taken an interest too, your support is very much appreciated.

We have something to celebrate on Sunday 12 June 2022! 

In 2020, as a part of the Highgate Festival, the Ladies’ Pond swimmers and lifeguards were honoured with the award of a Pink Plaque (details here) and now we are able to get it installed. 

Our plaque is a part of a series which the festival organisers hope will:

“Discover the lives of some of Highgate’s most remarkable women – movers and shakers from our area’s past and present. By marking their existence with a plaque, we hope to draw attention to the famous, notorious and hidden women of our community.”

You can see more details of the project here describing the many outstanding women with Highgate connections who have been honoured, including Dido Belle, Florence Nightingale, Barbara Castle and Claudia Jones.

It was not possible to install this plaque during the Highgate Festival in 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions on gatherings.  This year the plaque will finally get pride of place at the Ladies’ Pond, with one plaque at the entrance and one to be attached to the buildings.

Join us on Sunday 12 June 2022 at 12.00 midday for the presentation of our Pink Plaque by festival organiser Alicia Pivaro, who is also a regular swimmer at the Ladies’ Pond. Local press photographers will be present for this event.

You may also be interested to know that the KLPA was involved in an exhibition of the history of the Ladies’ Pond at the Highgate Festival in 2019 (details here).

Join us in celebrating the women who have made the Ladies’ Pond such a special place for nearly 100 years, and give some thought to how we might celebrate our centenary in 2025/2026.

And …… KLPA merchandise stall is back

On Sunday 12 June 9-11am the KLPA will hold its monthly merchandise stall at the Ladies Pond. We will have hi-viz knitted hats, mugs and books for sale at £10 each.  Mugs and hi-viz knitted hats can be bought in bulk, four for £35 (including mix and match options).  We can take payment by cash, cheque or card.  The knitted hats help with visibility at the pond in poor light conditions so they are helpful to the lifeguards.  The hats, mugs and books all make great presents too.