Bunka pools UK

06/09/2026

PART 3: SUSTAINABILITY & PROFITABILITY

A facility that continually loses money will eventually stop serving its community.

That may be uncomfortable to say when discussing social purpose, but it’s the reality.

If we want better swimming access to last, the operating model has to work commercially.

A school-linked aquatic facility shouldn’t sit unused outside curriculum hours.

It should have several routes to use and revenue:

• School swimming during the day
• Private lessons after school
• Community swimming
• Club and operator programmes
• Weekend and holiday sessions
• Specialist teaching and therapy where appropriate

That changes the facility from a cost burden into a productive community asset.

Schools gain access to swimming without having to own or operate the swimming business themselves.

Operators gain a dedicated facility with access to local demand.

Communities gain more water time closer to home.

Funders and investors gain a model designed around long-term use, measurable demand and a potential return.

At Bunka, we’re developing these facilities as 25-year assets, with efficient systems, controlled operating costs and several commercial routes available.

Because social purpose and profitability should not work against each other.

Done properly, profitability is what protects the purpose.

It keeps the doors open.

It maintains the facility.

And it allows the model to be repeated in more communities.

Access creates the opportunity.

Quality and safety build trust.

Sustainability allows it to last.

Next: Part 4 — The Collective & Global Vision

www.thebunkapool.com

03/09/2026

PART 2: QUALITY & SAFETY

Access alone is not enough.

If we’re serious about improving swimming provision, the facilities children learn in must be better, safer and designed specifically around them.

That means more than simply placing water inside a building.

It means creating an environment where teachers can supervise clearly, operators can maintain consistent water quality and children can learn with confidence.

At Bunka, quality and safety are engineered into the complete facility:

• Commercial water treatment and filtration
• Controlled pool depth and clear visibility
• Safe, purpose-designed access
• Environmental and temperature management
• Camera-assisted water-safety options
• Robust British-manufactured construction
• Systems designed for professional operation and maintenance

Our above-ground pool design also creates a controlled teaching environment, with access managed from poolside and the complete structure remaining visible and accessible.

But safety isn’t one product or one piece of technology.

It comes from bringing the building, pool, water treatment, environmental systems, operator and teaching model together properly.

That is why we’re not focused on simply supplying more pools.

We’re focused on delivering better facilities and safer facilities, supported by the right people and systems around them.

Because the future of swimming shouldn’t only be more accessible.

It should raise the standard of what children, schools and communities can expect.

Next: Part 3 — Sustainability & Profitability

www.thebunkapool.com

31/08/2026

PART 1: ACCESS

Swimming access starts at school.

If we want more children to learn to swim, we need to begin where children already are.

Schools shouldn’t simply be another point of access.

I believe they should become the primary source of access.

The current model often means transporting children away from school to facilities that are already stretched.

Travel costs. Lost teaching time. Limited availability. Short lesson windows.

Everything is arranged around access to the facility—not around the needs of the children.

At Bunka, we’re focused on changing that by creating:

• Better facilities
• Safer facilities
• More accessible swimming provision
• A sustainable and profitable operating model

Because building the facility is only one part of the answer.

To create lasting change, it must be affordable to operate, commercially sustainable and capable of serving both schools and the wider community.

The Bunka School Aquatic Facility Range has been developed around exactly that principle.

A range of properly engineered facilities designed for different sites, levels of demand and operating models—with the potential to grow across the UK and globally.

But this isn’t something Bunka can achieve alone.

It needs a collective of schools, swim operators, educators, funders, manufacturers and delivery partners focused on bringing the future of swimming closer to every child.

The most direct route to children is through schools.

It’s time we built the infrastructure around them.

www.thebunkapool.com

16/08/2026

ACCESS TO SWIMMING WILL NOT IMPROVE WITHOUT VIABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.

The latest BBC analysis of Department for Education data shows that in 2024/25:

• 28% of Year 6 pupils did not meet the 25m standard
• Only 55% met it in the most disadvantaged schools, compared with 83% in the least disadvantaged
• Safe self-rescue fell to 50% in the most disadvantaged schools
• In London, 37% left primary school unable to meet the standard

The BBC also reports that most school groups receive around six weeks of 30-minute sessions.

My view is focused on infrastructure, access and delivery.

Throughout Bunka’s start-up journey, we have sat with national governing bodies, travelled across the UK and spoken with teachers, clubs, operators and industry professionals from around the world.

After hundreds of hours of conversations, the same issue keeps coming back:

Access to infrastructure.

There simply isn’t enough suitable, reliable and affordable water space.

Schools are expected to deliver a physical outcome without guaranteed access to the physical environment needed to achieve it.

Most schools cannot fund, build or operate a traditional swimming pool. Existing facilities are often ageing, oversubscribed or under financial pressure.

Then there are the wider delivery challenges:

• Identifying genuine demand
• Finding suitable land or buildings
• Securing planning permission
• Meeting structural, energy and accessibility requirements
• Creating a sustainable operating model

At Bunka, we have developed the product, delivery model and wider team needed to navigate these stages—from demand and site assessment through planning, engineering, construction and operation.

This is the foundation of Project 2030 and Bunka 500.

But the model has to work from every side:

• Delivery
• Sustainability
• Accessibility
• Profitability

No one likes talking about profitability when discussing public access, but the reality is simple:

If infrastructure doesn’t make money, it cannot operate, maintain itself or attract investment.

Eventually, there is no service.

Profitability should never come at the expense of access. It is what allows access to continue.

Our objective is to deploy year-round swimming infrastructure into the school system without requiring upfront CAPEX from schools—supported by community use and a commercially sustainable operating model.

That will require schools, clubs, councils, government, investors, engineers and experienced delivery partners working towards the same outcome.

If you represent any of these groups—or understand the problem and want to help develop the solution—please comment or message me directly.

Because if swimming is part of the curriculum, access to water cannot remain a postcode lottery.

The infrastructure has to work—physically, operationally and commercially.



www.thebunkapool.com

09/08/2026

Our new Bunka website is now live.

There’s still plenty more to add and update, but it’s a work in progress and will continue to grow alongside the business.

Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing regular updates and blogs from our live projects—giving you the opportunity to follow each Bunka build from the early planning stages through to installation and completion.

Watch the builds come to life, from start to finish.

Take a look: www.thebunkapool.com

British engineered modular aquatic infrastructure for schools, communities, hydrotherapy and commercial environments.

30/07/2026

Does your primary school need a swimming pool?

For many children, school is their only opportunity to learn to swim.

Yet every year, thousands leave primary school without meeting the national curriculum for swimming.

Not because they don’t want to…

But because their school simply doesn’t have access to a pool.

At Bunka, we believe that has to change.

That’s why we’ve developed the National Swim Access Project — an innovative modular swimming pool solution designed to bring commercial-quality swimming facilities directly to schools and local communities.

Imagine a future where every primary school can give children the confidence, life skills and water safety education they deserve.

✅ More children achieving the national curriculum.
✅ Reduced transport costs and lost teaching time.
✅ Greater access for SEND and additional learning needs.
✅ Community swimming outside school hours.
✅ A healthier, safer future for the next generation.

Teachers. Headteachers. Governors. Parents.

If your school had the opportunity to install an affordable swimming pool… would you support it?

Let us know in the comments.

Every comment, like and share helps us reach another school that could benefit from this initiative.

Learn more about the National Swim Access Project:
👉 https://www.thebunkapool.com/national-swim-access

Explore Bunka Group:
👉 https://www.thebunkapool.com

Together, we can make swimming accessible for every child.

29/07/2026

For the last several years, we’ve been asking one simple question…

Can commercial swimming pools be delivered differently?

Not just better engineered.

Not just faster to install.

But more accessible to the communities that need them most.

Every development we’ve made to Bunka has been driven by that goal.

From the evolution of Bunka Mk2™, to our structural engineering, modular construction methods and integrated building solutions, every improvement has had a purpose.

Now, we’re taking the next step.

We’re developing a modular aquatic facility designed to help bring high-quality swimming provision closer to schools, communities and organisations that have traditionally been priced out of permanent facilities.

This isn’t about replacing traditional swimming pools.

It’s about creating another route to delivering them—faster, more efficiently and with significantly less disruption.

There’s still work to do, but we’re excited about what’s coming.

If you’d like to see the concept and learn more about the vision behind the project, take a look below.

🔗 https://www.thebunkapool.com/national-swim-access

We’d love to hear your thoughts.

BUNKA’s long-term initiative to improve access to swimming through modern British engineering and infrastructure.

28/07/2026

The best engineering never stands still.
The Bunka pool

The commercial swimming pool industry has relied on many of the same engineering principles for decades.

At Bunka Group, we believed there was a better way.

Over the last several years, our team has challenged conventional thinking, redesigned core components and continually refined every aspect of the Bunka platform.

The most significant evolution has come over the last 12 months with the transition from Bunka Mk1™ to Bunka Mk2™.

Every improvement has been driven by one objective…

To engineer a stronger, smarter and more robust modular commercial swimming pool system.

The result includes:

✔️ Stronger structural steel design
✔️ Independent structural engineering calculations
✔️ British steel fabrication
✔️ BS EN 1090 compliant manufacture
✔️ Improved hydrostatic load distribution
✔️ Redesigned modular steel framework
✔️ Larger structural members where required
✔️ Improved installation methodology
✔️ Integrated service and pipework strategy
✔️ Bunka Barrier System™ (B³):
• Hot-dip galvanised steel
• Marine epoxy protection
• Hard Top protective finish

Alongside the engineering, we’ve continued to expand the wider Bunka ecosystem, developing complementary systems designed to improve every stage of project delivery.

• Bunka Mk2™
• Bunka Core™ System
• Bunka Barrier System™ (B³)
• Bunka Pool™
• Bunka Build™
• Bunka Volt™
• Bunka Protect™

While we’re proud of how far the platform has evolved, we don’t believe engineering innovation has a finish line.

Development of Bunka Mk3™ is already underway, with the next generation of enhancements planned for next year.

That’s the Bunka philosophy.

Never standing still.

Never accepting “good enough.”

Always challenging ourselves to improve.

Because when clients invest in long-term infrastructure, they deserve a platform that has been independently engineered, continuously refined and built to perform for decades.

This is only the beginning.

Engineered to Perform. Built to Last.

🌐 www.thebunkapool.com

20/07/2026

A National Vision to Ensure Every Child Can Swim

Every year, thousands of children leave primary school without meeting the National Curriculum standard for swimming.

For something that is not only a curriculum requirement but also a life-saving skill, we believe that has to change.

At Bunka Group, we’ve developed the National Swim Access Project—a long-term initiative to help schools across the UK provide accessible, affordable and sustainable on-site swimming facilities.

By combining British engineering, modern modular construction and a practical delivery model, we’re creating facilities that reduce travel time, increase teaching opportunities and allow schools to deliver swimming where it matters most—on their own site.

This isn’t just about building pools.

It’s about creating equal access to swimming education, supporting schools, strengthening communities and giving every child the opportunity to develop a skill that could one day save their life.

We’re now looking to work with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, swimming providers and national organisations who share this ambition and want to help shape the future of school swimming.

To learn more about our vision, visit our new website:

🌐 www.thebunkapool.com
The Bunka pool

If we want to improve swimming outcomes across the UK, we need to start thinking differently.

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn to swim.

Lee Waterworth
Founder/CEO
Bunka Group Ltd

07/06/2026

💭 What if every school had better access to water?

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn to swim.

Yet for many schools, providing regular swimming lessons isn’t as simple as it should be.

Limited pool availability.
Travel time.
Transport costs.
Disrupted timetables.
Growing demand.
Fewer accessible water spaces.

The result?

Too many children miss out on developing one of life’s most important skills.

And swimming is about so much more than sport.

🛟 Safety.
Giving children the skills and confidence to stay safe around water.

💙 Confidence.
Helping young people overcome fears and achieve something they’ll remember for life.

🤝 Community.
Creating opportunities that support schools, families and local organisations.

🌊 Inclusion.
Making swimming more accessible for children of all abilities and backgrounds.

✨ Possibility.
Giving schools more opportunities to deliver the experiences every child deserves.

Across the UK—and around the world—we know there are schools looking for better access to water.

We’re passionate about helping create those opportunities.

If you’re a school, academy trust or community organisation that believes access to swimming could be improved, we’d genuinely love to hear from you.

And if you think this could benefit your local school or community, please share this post with your network.

One conversation could create opportunities for hundreds of children every single week.

Together, we can create more water space.

❓Could better access to swimming make a difference at your school?