A Churcher's College pupil is backing Petersfield open-air swimming pool's £75,000 tile appeal. The pool launched its appeal to raise funds for the complete re-tiling of the pool after failing to get financial support for the project from East Hampshire District Council or Petersfield Town Council. And Freya Nellthorpe, who regularly uses the pool and who learned to swim there, joined the campaign and urged the people of Petersfield to give generously. "It's a fantastic place to keep cool, the staff are really friendly and they are always there to help," she said. "You can have swimming and diving lessons as well as open swimming. I love going there with my friends after school or in the holidays. "My dad and my auntie learned how to swim in the open-air pool. Swimming is a wonderful way to get fit whatever your age and the open-air pool is a place where you can go with your family or just with a friend. It's a great place to hang out." Frey added: "It now needs to be completely re-tiled. Each tile costs £3 and I think it would be cool if as many children and adults as possible could buy a tile to help keep our wonderful pool looking fresh and clean for everyone to enjoy." EHDC said it could not even debate the request for funding as the retiling project didn't meet funding criteria and Petersfield town councillors announced that funding regulations ruled the request out. But the pool's management committee has gained support from organisers of the Butser Hill Challenge and will be one of the two groups receiving donations from the event after it is held in September. Earlier this year, chairman David Morgan said his management committee had been trying to raise funds for the re-tiling for two years and realised that major repair work would be needed in order to keep the pool open to the public. Neville Snowden, a member of the management committee and one of the organisers of the tile campaign, said 12,300 tiles were needed to complete the project. In just two weeks donations of £6,592 had been collected from people in the town and another £2,500 had been offered as loans, which the committee had gratefully accepted, he added. "As the pool has taught so many children to swim over the 45 years of its existence, and is supported by so many schools for ongoing lessons, I would urge everybody to follow Freya's lead and dig deep into their pockets to help the retiling project." He said donations could be made at the pool itself or at the HSBC Bank in Petersfield. Donations can also be made at the Petersfield Herald office at 24 High Street, Petersfield.