A TRACTOR driving lesson with Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper and a beer drinking session in a brewery, helped raise £16,000 to help run an open-air swimming pool.
The Chipping Norton Lido auction, hosted by Jeremy Clarksonwhich took place on Friday at Chipping Norton Town Hall.
Lots included included a six-month supply of eggs, pony riding, beer tasting at Hook Norton Brewery and a classic car experience.
Funds were raised for the pool, which has been run by local people as a charity since 2004, because the rises in energy prices have “hit the lido hard”.
It was threatened with closure before being taken on by the community after the district council withdrew its funding in 2003.
The pool, measuring 25m, was first opened in 1970 followed by a £75k revamp in 2014 through a £60k grant from Sport England and community fundraising.
At the auction, the tractor driving lesson was the most popular item going for £1,100. Ticket prices were also £20 per person.
Mr Clarkson, who famously lives in Chadlington, has hosted the auction since 2007 and is a long-time supporter of the pool, which he praised in his Sunday Times column.
Before the auction, Lido trustee Claire Jarvis said: "It's a long postponed night of fevered bidding and top class entertainment to raise vital funds for the community-run pool.
"The audience is promised an unmissable event that will help the pool withstand the current energy crisis and remain open to the public."
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