Welcome to Swim Together
The aim of Swim Together is to create a peer support model that brings people together who are living with mental illness, or experiencing mental health challenges, for a swim in an indoor pool. The model echoes the successful Mental Health Swims peer support model, which brings people together outdoors to experience outdoor swimming.
Unlike Mental Health Swims, Swim Together means we can work to increase diversity within our community and make mental health peer support accessible to a wider range of people who for one reason or another cannot access outdoor swims or who do not feel comfortable or confident in doing so.
How you can get involved
Swim Together is a new project and whilst we grow, we are looking for leisure centres and Primary Care Networks with a similar vision who would like to make this project a reality for local people living with mental health challenges.
We are currently looking to work with leisure centres that have undertaken the Swim England Water Wellbeing accreditation as we feel this indicates that the facilities are as accessible as possible and that the staff have an inclusive and welcoming approach and a commitment to supporting health and wellbeing. The introduction of Swim Together at leisure centres means that peer support groups will be available at inner city locations that are easier to access by foot or public transport. By having facilities such as accessible changing rooms, toilets, parking and cafes for a post-swim catch-up afterwards, we can be much more inclusive.
Implementing this project would mean that Primary Care Networks could offer Swim Together as an additional option to their patients, knowing that they will benefit from a welcoming and safe space where they can experience the benefits of getting in the water.
“My team and I had the dream of supporting our patients access and gain the benefits of the water. We work for the NHS in Leamington Spa and have always had a passion to support patients through a holistic personalised approach. When we found out about mental health swims through Swim England it just felt like the perfect fit! The training was fantastic. The support from MHS was just what we needed and we launched our swim together group in April 23.
The sessions are now packed and is really popular with patients. We also love running them!”
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi
What to expect at a Swim Together meet up and how to sign up
You can expect a welcoming and inclusive peer support group who will be there to meet you before each swim, providing you with all the information you need.
To join in a public leisure centre Swim Together session, you will need to contact and book via your local leisure centre who will feature Swim Together sessions on their normal timetables. If your local leisure centre does not offer a Swim Together session yet, please feel free to direct them to this webpage to find out more.
Primary Care Network or GP sessions will be referral only so please contact your local GP surgery to find out if they offer one. If they are not currently offering a Swim Together session, please feel free to direct them to this webpage.
Leisure Centres
If you work for a leisure centre provider and would like to set up a Swim Together group for your community register your interest here.
Health Professional
If you work for a Primary Care Network and would like to set up a Swim Together group for your patients register your interest here.
If the above does not apply to you or would like to get in touch about Swim Together please get in contact with us on swimtogether@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
