South London Swimming Club is one of the largest swimming clubs in the UK. Based at Tooting Bec Lido, South-West London, the club swim outdoors all year round.
History
Tooting Bec Lido is one of Britain's oldest lidos: it was built in just four months in the spring of 1906. It did not become a 'lido' until the thirties - when the term became widely used - it was originally known as Tooting Bathing-Lake.
Within weeks of the pool opening in 1906, a group of swimmers got together and formed the South London Swimming Club. The Club made the pool its headquarters and ever since has played a major role in the life of the Lido.
During the 1990s, the club ran the lido off-season and continues to give practical voluntary help to both the council and its leisure contractor, DC Leisure Management Ltd.
To celebrate both its and Tooting Bec Lido's centenary in 2006, the South London Swimming Club hosted several events including the first UK Cold Water Swimming Championships in January and a 3 day film festival, Dive in Movies, in July.