Mental Health Swims (MHS) hosts free, safe and inclusive outdoor swim meet ups nationwide and, more recently, has been rolling out its Swim Together programme, which brings the peer support model to indoor pools. The community is designed to welcome and support those living with mental illness or experiencing mental health challenges, and the training, funded by Swim England, will further enhance the skillset of its volunteer swimming hosts.

Rachel Ashe MBE, managing director at Mental Health Swims says: 'We’re passionate about the positive impact swimming can have on mental health. Swimming can help alleviate anxiety and support mental health, although it’s not a magic cure; challenges don’t disappear the moment you dive in and it doesn’t take away the role of health care and medication. However, being part of a supportive community makes a real difference. Our volunteer hosts have lived experience with mental health challenges, allowing them to offer guidance and peer support with genuine understanding.

'All of our volunteer hosts undertake safety training, as well as training in mental health awareness, signposting and boundaries, and this Institute of Swimming qualification further validates our open water swimming host volunteers’ skills in facilitating swim meet ups, boosting their confidence and strengthening the safe, inclusive spaces we create.'

The Institute of Swimming’s SEQ Level Two Outdoor Swimming Leader course focuses on developing the essential skills necessary to safely guide groups in sheltered open water environments and is an ideal starting point for people passionate about sharing their love of outdoor swimming and leading others on wild swimming adventures.

The course includes eLearning and assessment tasks, as well as practical sessions where trainees lead an outdoor swim. Key topics include risk assessment, planning and delivering safe sessions, understanding outdoor environments, essential equipment, and leadership skills.

John, a swim co-host for Mental Health Swims in Margate, is one of the 10 volunteers to have completed the training. He said: 'Being a swim host for Mental Health Swims has been immeasurably rewarding. I have gained in confidence, made new friends and daily feel the mental and physical benefits of swimming together in a community. In Margate, we regularly have 15-20 people swimming together at our fortnightly meet ups at the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool. I swim at least once a week in the sea, all weathers, all year round.

'I was really excited to take part in the Institute of Swimming training and loved the course. The online work, which took me about 12 hours to complete, was extremely well put together and, despite my experience, I had many ‘a ha’ moments. I really enjoyed the session planning and the feedback I got from the tutor. It was great to put our skills to the test in person at West Reservoir in Finsbury Park, London. The training really reaffirmed my love for swimming and reinforced the importance of leadership, good communication and onsite risk assessments when in open water.'

Rebecca Cox, managing director, Institute of Swimming, said: 'We were delighted to provide this training for the volunteer hosts and it’s fantastic to hear such positive feedback on our new qualification. With open water swimming growing in popularity, this training equips leaders to deliver safe, fun and inclusive swims. Mental Health Swims makes a huge impact in the swimming community, largely thanks to its dedicated volunteers. Donations and sponsorships for the CIC can help them reach even more people in need of support.'

Ashe concludes: ‘As our swimming communities grow, both through our open water Mental Health Swims groups and our indoor Swim Together programme, which is supported by Swim England’s Water Wellbeing programme, we are seeking further investment and partnerships with leisure facilities and healthcare providers. Our goal is that more vulnerable people can be socially prescribed to our network of community swims, helping them to live happier and more fulfilled lives.’