Providing inclusive safe, spaces for swimming

Since May 2020 Open Minds Active have been running adult learn to swim sessions for women of colour. We started off with 12 women and since then we have taught a further 50 to swim and have over 40 on the waiting list who are desperate to learn.

Our struggle has been accessing pool time, specifically women only across pools in Bristol and we were only able to secure 2 hours of swimming on a Monday morning at Hengrove Leisure Centre.

We are now in the process of applying for funds to extend the programme and train up some of the women who are currently volunteering as swim assistants.

This summer a lot of the women are keen to experience open water swimming and we will be making this happen up at the lake at Westcountry Water Park.

Thank you to Laura from Wesport who put this brilliant video together.