A man with multiple sclerosis who has been swimming at an outdoor pool in Jersey for the last five years said swimming was "a massive reset for the mind".
Nelson De Sousa said swimming had helped him with managing the pain he experienced as a result of his condition.
It comes on the 130th anniversary of the opening of Havre Des Pas Bathing Pool in St Helier – with locals sharing their experiences of the beauty spot.
An event was held at the Lido on Thursday to celebrate the occasion.
'Sport of friendship'
He said: "I've got multiple sclerosis, I'm lucky I seem to keep it at bay but swimming helps with so much pain management.
"I try to go in daily, all the way through the winter, I can't explain the reasons why the wellbeing of it is just amazing."
Mr De Sousa said he had developed friendships because of the community at Havre Des Pas.
"I've done many sports in my life but this is the best sport of friendship, swimming and looking after each other," he said.
Gerry Leonard has been swimming at the lido for 25 years and said he would like to see hot showers and a sauna installed in the next two decades.
He said: "I think there's enough room in the changing rooms at the moment – you could put warm showers in which the user would pay for them, a pound a shower or something like that."
The Lido Steering Group is working to establish a charitable company to take over the management and maintenance of the bathing pool.
Deputy David Warr, chair of the steering group, said government funding was needed to revive the area, and keep it operational.
He said the government "don't have the fundamental deep pocket which is needed to keep a place like this going".
The infrastructure minister, constable Andy Jehan, declined to comment on the future of the lido site due to the ongoing tender process.
'Beggars belief'
Warr added: "The challenge with this pool is, it's a Victorian pool in the middle of the sea, it is impossible to fund this, you need help to keep it going and there's enough people out there who want to fund it, instead of it being sliced and diced.
"A facility like the Havre des Pas pool, its not just local, its obviously visitor economy, we see weddings down here…it is an extraordinary site.
"For me, it beggars belief that we're constantly having to fight for funds, when actually the community absolutely recognises what's needed here, and we just need to get on and do it."
