Davey Podmore | Charity Print to help save a piece of Olympic history

Linocut printmaker Davey Podmore recently teamed up with The Cobdown Sauna Club to help raise money to save and restore the much-loved established.

The Cobdown Sauna Club’s story began in 1947 when C.D. Sheldon, chairman of the Albert E. Reed Co. paper mill, met Juuso Walden, director of the Finnish paper company Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat. They agreed to hold annual competitions between their companies in middle-distance track running, cross-country running, and football. The first meeting took place in Aylesford in 1947, followed by the next in Finland (Myllykoski and Valkeakoski) in 1948. The companies alternated hosting these matches until 1962.

In 1948, during the London Olympic Games, Albert E. Reed & Co. paper mill, leveraging their connection with Finland, invited the Finnish Olympic Team to visit Aylesford. This visit occurred on August 8th, and it was likely then that they decided the Finnish Sauna, brought to London for the Olympics, would be moved to Aylesford and gifted to Albert E. Reed & Co. LTD. Paper Manufacturers.

Since then, members of the Cobdown Sauna Club have used the sauna continuously until 2020 when the pandemic struck. Last year, the sauna received Grade II heritage listing from Historic England, marking it as the oldest functioning sauna in the UK and the oldest Olympic sauna in the world.

Due to its age, the sauna now requires electrical repairs and upgrades to ensure fire safety, as well as a new sauna heater. The club is attempting to raise £25,000 for these improvements.

Moved by their story, Davey decided to help. He has created a print, with all profits (£50) from each sale going to the club’s crowdfunding page. This print is a limited edition of 25, featuring black ink and a blue tissue paper application representing the Finnish flag.

You can find and buy the print on Davey’s website www.podmoreandmore.com.

@daveypodmore

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