The response to the request for suggested collective nouns for lidos was overwhelming, 80 words were suggested - all of them beautiful and apt. After a week's worth of World Cup style knockout tournaments, conducted via the medium of twitter pools, the champion was crowned yesterday...

***DRUM ROLL***

SHIMMER

It's absolutely perfect. And very timely. Throughout next week Janet and I will be visiting a shimmer of lidos to offer swimmers a sneak peak at the book ahead of the 13th June publication date; there will also be some advance copies for sale, so if you're keen to have one come and see us.

A great place to catch up with Janet (@deliciousswim) will be next Wednesday, 29th May, at the Historic Pools event celebrating the launch of the book. Historic Pools have been valued supporters of this book from the moment they learned of it, and their even next week, in partnership with Jubilee Park lido, Woodhall Spa, Lincs will be fun and informative for lido operators and lido lovers alike. And you get to swim in a truly beautiful pool. Tickets are available here.

As for me, I'll be at the following pools throughout next week:

Saturday 25th - Hayle open air pool, 11am to 1pm
Sunday 26th - Buckfastleigh open air pool, 9am to 10.30am and Chagford Pool 2pm to 4pm
Monday 27th - Shoalstone seawater pool, Brixham 10am to 12pm
Tuesday 28th - Wivey Pool, Wiveliscombe, 12.30pm to 2.30pm
Wednesday 29th - Lido Ponty, Pontypridd, 10.30am to 12pm
Thursday 30th - Petersfield open air pool, 11am to 1pm
Friday 31st - Pells oPol, Lewes, 12pm to 2pm

If you're in the area of any of those pools please do come for a swim, take a look at the book and say hi while you're there. As well as the books there will be a few other goodies for sale, and they've also gone up online today. We all love a bit of lido-themed merch, right? Check them out here. 

The lido social-media community is a rich and rewarding place to hang out. A wealth of information and joy is shared on a daily basis, questions are asked, answers are provided...

But this morning a tweeter, in response to a tweet from Save Grange Lido, wondered what the collective noun for lidos might be.

So, naturally, I asked people to suggest them. There have been some fantastic suggestions so far, including a splash, a lux, a plunge, an invigoration and an exhaustion - that latter came from a pool that is currently gearing up to open for the 2019 season and I think lido volunteers everywhere will identify with it.

My personal favourite, so far, is eudaemonia - which, of course, I had to google:

happiness or well-being; specif., in Aristotle's philosophy, happiness or well-being, the main universal goal, distinct from pleasure and derived from a life of activity governed by reason

Brilliant, no? 

Anyway - I'd love to have more suggestions and am taking them via both facebook and twitter. Please join the conversation. I'll take my favourite 4 suggestions at the end of today, and tomorrow will poll them on both facebook and twitter. The suggester of the winning collective noun will get a Lido Guide swim cap posted out.