Supporters of Ipswich’s long-closed open-air swimming pool have republished the souvenir programme from its opening in 1938 to help boost their campaign to get it brought back into use.

Ipswich Star: Reproduction commemorative brochure from the opening of Broomhill PoolReproduction commemorative brochure from the opening of Broomhill Pool

Broom Hill pool was opened on April 30, 1938, complete with heated water – and there was a full range of swimming events to mark the event.

The pool was opened by Ipswich mayor George Underwood and the programme gives all the detail you could want about its facilities.

What is almost as fascinating as the information about the pool is the selection of advertisements at the back of the brochure.

They include Zotofoam baths, which has a bold promise for at least half the population!

The advert says Zotofoam baths were installed at the public baths and adds: “This is news to every woman who wishes to reduce her figure without diet, quickly and inexpensively. There is no other known method of slimming which is so absolutely certain of success.”

The brochure is on sale at Westbourne library, next to the pool on Sherrington Road, costing £5 – or can be ordered from the Broom Hill Trust’s website www.savebroomhillpool.org

The trust is backing efforts to persuade an outside company to take over the pool, which closed in 2002, and bring it back into public use.

Funding for the scheme is still being negotiated with Fusion Lifestyle in the hope of making a successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a restoration project.

Mark Ling, from the trust, said: “One of our members, Don Miller, was at the opening and had kept the brochure for 75 years so we decided to print this as a souvenir. It ends the 75th anniversary year, and also leads into what we believe could be a crucial year because we are hopeful that Fusion will bring together a good HLF bid in the first half of 2014.”