September in the swim community

NOWCA has a new swimming venue in Cambridge and Mental Health Swims encourages pool swimmers to join their community this autumn. Stay up to date with our outdoor swimming community news for September 2024.

NOWCA: More water, more people, more safely.

We’re so proud to be the UK’s largest network of safe open water swimming venues. By giving venues access to our specialised systems, we help reduce administrative work, enhance safety and support venues financially. This means more people can swim more often and more safely.

Our network includes a diverse range of independent operators, from small local ponds to large multisport outdoor aquatic centres. No matter their size, all our venues share a commitment to providing safe spaces that foster growing swimming communities.

We’re excited to see more safe swimming locations joining our network. Nikki at Milton Country Park (Cambridge Sport Lakes) recently said: “I wanted to say thank you for helping us with the switch to NOWCA, it has been remarkably smooth and the vast majority of clients and staff as so much happier both in terms of safety but also easier booking. I can’t believe how much it has all grown in one season.”

Visit our website to find out more about our venue network, the benefits for operators, and how to join: nowca.org

Mental Health Swims: As autumn approaches, perhaps you’d prefer to head to the pool. Well, why not get involved with Swim Together?

Swim Together is a peer support model that brings people together who are experiencing mental health issues 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.

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 while 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 and welcoming as possible and that the staff have an inclusive 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.

Email swimtogether@mentalhealthswims.co.uk for more information.