Wild Swimming and Blue Spaces: Mobilising interdisciplinary knowledge and partnerships to combat health inequalities at scale

Lead Research Organisation: University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of English

Abstract

The recent surge in popularity of wild swimming (also referred to as open water swimming or cold water swimming), or swimming in natural 'blue spaces', including rivers, lakes or the sea, has highlighted the significant scale of opportunity to leverage the use of blue spaces as community assets to combat health inequalities. However, despite the well documented physical and mental health benefits of wild swimming that are relevant to large groups of the population suffering from ill health, current prevention and intervention strategies that focus on wild swimming to mitigate health inequalities tend to be local, place-based and disparate, and lack an overall joined-up approach that would allow them to be scaled up to benefit whole communities as part of established health policy.
In collaboration with our project partners (Swim England, Black Swimming Association, The National Trust, Freshwater Biological Association, UK Centre for Hydrology and Ecology, Leicestershire County Council, Social Prescribing at Partners Health, and Thrive health content developers), we have identified one of the main barriers to scaling up successful place-based approaches: the current lack of integrated information about the mental and physical health benefits of wild swimming alongside the risks related to water quality and safety aspects of specific blue spaces that people use for swimming. Our project brings together a team of leading arts and humanities researchers in applied linguistics (Adolphs, Knight, Sotirova), place-based literatures (Jackson, Pratt), and place-names (Carroll), alongside leading experts in health sciences and organisation level implementation strategies (Moffatt and Timmons), and an internationally renowned expert on water quality and freshwater ecosystems (McGowan). Together with our project partners, we bring to bear our combined interdisciplinary expertise to address the following two main research questions:

RQ1: How can we co-create an evidence base and sample content about wild swimming that will facilitate scale up of local approaches and initiatives to combat health inequalities? Drawing on databases and sources relating to the histories, literatures, health benefits and safety aspects, as well as water quality of blue spaces, we will co-create and evaluate sample content with our partners and with input from current and prospective swimming communities.

RQ 2: What kind of mechanisms and relationships need to be formed and formalised to scale up approaches that leverage blue spaces to combat health inequalities through wild swimming? Working closely with our project partners, we will map the implementation landscape and provide a route map for wider scale up and spread of wild swimming as a health and wellbeing intervention, delineating the full range of agencies that may be involved in this process.

Our project will have significant benefits for users within and beyond the academic community. We will develop a new mixed methods approach, drawing on corpus linguistics and narrative analysis, to create effective public health messaging that includes content from a range of academic disciplines. This content, in turn, will be of benefit to promoters and commissioners of wild swimming in the health ecosystem, allowing for scale up of local initiatives. Ultimately our project will benefit the many individuals and diverse communities who will be enabled to enjoy wild swimming in a safe way to improve health, and to gain an increased awareness of the nature of blue spaces and their role as a community asset.

Publications

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Title Benefits & Barriers: Mnemonic poster - SWIM SAFER 
Description Mnemonic poster - SWIM SAFER 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Title Focus group meeting drawings 
Description A total of 5 drawings reflecting perspectives of focus group participants. 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Title Place name image: 'The Rivers Speak' 
Description The Rivers Speak: image generated for the place names research. 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Title Project logo 
Description Project logo (2 variations) for use across project outputs 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact Project logos used on project outputs including swimming caps to be distributed to swim clubs and project partners 
 
Title Reportage drawings 
Description A total of 11 reportage drawings. Illustrations of the natural environment of wild swimming that support the overall messaging and add to the attractiveness of the content 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Title Safety composite for Freshwater Biological Association newsletter 
Description Artwork used in article for Freshwater Biological Association newsletter (written by Suzanne McGowan) 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used in article for Freshwater Biological Association newsletter. Circulated to FBA members and volunteers 
 
Title Social Media Assets (banner imagery) 
Description Social Media Assets x 19 iterations for use across social media platforms - Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Wordpress 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact The artwork has been viewed 10,936 times by visitors to our project website (up until 20th January 2023). 
URL https://swim.wp.horizon.ac.uk/
 
Title User experience drawing, 'Cold in Scotland' 
Description Drawing based on 'Cold in Scotland' feedback from person with lived experience 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Title User experience drawing, 'When I swim I talk to my mother' 
Description User experience drawing, 'When I swim I talk to my mother' 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Artwork used across several outputs, stimulated discussion among academic audiences, partners and people with lived experience 
 
Description Our project: 'Wild Swimming and Blue Spaces: Mobilising interdisciplinary knowledge and partnerships to combat health inequalities at scale' addressed two key research questions: how we might co-create an evidence base and sample content about wild swimming that will facilitate scale up of local approaches and initiatives to combat health inequalities; and what mechanisms and relationships need to be formed and formalised to scale up approaches that leverage blue spaces to combat health inequalities through wild swimming. To address the first research question, we used a multi-method approach that sought deliberately to surface the voices of individuals and groups who are currently under-represented in outdoor swimming. Key to this part of the project was a large-scale survey of over 2000 participants from low income households which tried to ascertain the barriers to outdoor swimming amongst this population. The results showed, for example, the key role played by concerns about water quality when it comes to outdoor swimming, but also the perceived and actual benefits to physical and mental health as described by the respondents. This in turn allowed for a more tailored approach in the development of information/content about outdoor swimming as we were able to directly address any concerns raised by this specific audience. In discussion with key stakeholders in the ecosystem of providers, commissioners and users of blue spaces for the purpose of swimming, we were able to articulate the complexity of this landscape and outline a list of recommendations about how different types of collaboration might help to scale up local approaches to the use of blue spaces as community assets.
Exploitation Route The outcomes of our research will be taken forward by our project partners (see partner section) who will be able to draw on our research insight reports and survey results for the purposes of their own interactions with outdoor swimming and blue spaces. Given the recent media attention to outdoor swimming, water quality and health disparities, we have been approached by a considerable number of stakeholders throughout the project who are interested in the results of our research and their application in their own contexts. These contacts range from academics interested in sustainable tourism to editors of specialist swimming magazines to groupings interested in social prescribing and policy (see our presentation at the APPG Swimming). We will continue to work with these contacts to maximise the societal benefits arising from the results of our research.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Education

Environment

Healthcare

Leisure Activities

including Sports

Recreation and Tourism

Government

Democracy and Justice

URL https://swim.wp.horizon.ac.uk
 
Description All Party Parliamentary Group 'APPG Swimming (Outdoor and Wild)' on 31.01.23
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description University of Nottingham Faculty of Arts Impact Accelerator Funding
Amount £10,860 (GBP)
Organisation University of Nottingham 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2022 
End 07/2022
 
Title Protocol for the Qualitative Synthesis 
Description Protocol for the Qualitative Synthesis registered on Prospero (WP2), National Institute for Health Research Citation: Fiona Moffatt, Rachael Tucker, Svenja Adolphs. How do people who wild swim perceive and experience the associated benefits to physical and mental health?. PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022344989 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022344989 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact None currently known 
URL https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=344989
 
Description Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) 
Organisation Freshwater Biological Association
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We offered regular research insight reports to this scientific organisation and wrote an article for their newsletter.
Collaborator Contribution This partner fed back on the research process
Impact Article published in the FBA newsletter (see 'engagement' for details)
Start Year 2022
 
Description Leicestershire County Council 
Organisation Leicestershire County Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We shared regular research insight reports with this local authority partner
Collaborator Contribution The partner fed back on the research process
Impact None to report
Start Year 2022
 
Description National Trust 
Organisation National Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We offered regular research insight reports to this charitable organisation
Collaborator Contribution This partner fed back on the research process
Impact None yet to report
Start Year 2022
 
Description UK Centre for Hydrology and Ecology 
Organisation UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We shared regular research insight reports with academic partners at the UK Centre for Hydrology and Ecology (Academic)
Collaborator Contribution This partner fed back on the research process
Impact None yet to report
Start Year 2022
 
Description All partners meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Meeting held between every member of the research team and heads/representatives from each of the project partners (see list below). Insights from the research presented from each of the work packages and feedback offered from each of the project partners on implications of the findings for their respective areas.

• Partners Health (local GP practice)
• Thrive: Words That Change Lives (Health content professionals)
• Leicestershire County Council (Local Authority)
• UK Centre for Hydrology and Ecology (Academic)
• The National Trust (Charitable Organisation)
• Freshwater Biological Association (Scientific organisation)
• Black Swimming Association (Charitable Organisation)
• Swim England (National Governing Body)
• Blue Mind Men (Cold water swim club)
• Earthwatch (Citizen science group)
• Swim the Lakes (Open water swimming specialists)
• Her Spirit (Global community enterprise)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Are you swimming in fresh water? Article published in FBA News (The Freshwater Biological Association Newsletter No. 86 Winter 2022/23). 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Article published in FBA News (The Freshwater Biological Association Newsletter No. 86 Winter 2022/23). Issued to 2000 members of the Freshwater Biological Association and to be made available to the general public shortly after. Authors Suzanne McGowan, Carol Adlam, Svenja Adolphs, Laurence Carvalho & Fiona Moffatt
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.fba.org.uk/fba-news
 
Description Focus group 1 -- Lakeside 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Focus group held with wild swimmers at Lakeside, 10 participants. Participants reported on benefits and barriers to wild swimming in support of the research. Requests made for further information about the project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Individual meetings with partners 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Individual meetings held with each of the project partners (see partner section for details)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Methods Con presentation -- Methods and Interdisciplinarity in the Context of Researching and Understanding Cold Water Therapy/Wild Swimming 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact MethodsCon, 13/09/2022 NCRM (Manchester), methods and interdisciplinarity in the context of researching and understanding cold water therapy/wild swimming. Attached to WP2.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:t1i0-l1kfiv4x-230xkg/methods-con
 
Description NIOO article Wildzwemmen aanmoedigen... met aandacht voor de waterkwaliteit 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Article written by Suzanne McGowan for the Netherlands Institute for Ecology, 8th April 2022. To date the article had received around 5000 views.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://nioo.knaw.nl/nl/nieuws/wildzwemmen-aanmoedigen-met-aandacht-voor-de-waterkwaliteit
 
Description Notts TV interview 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Interview on Wild Swimming and the current project given by Fiona Moffatt reaching an audience of over 500.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Positive Health and Environment Week presentation: Wild Swimming 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact • Positive Health and Environment Week 2022: Wild Swimming, Cardiff University, 11-50 people, received requests about (further) participation or involvement (WP2)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Poster for British Phycological Society Annual Meeting Newcastle 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Poster presentation delivered by Suzanne McGowan, Svenja Adolphs, Carol Adlam, L Carvalho, and Fiona Moffatt entitled Getting the message right on water quality and wild swimming. Presented at the British Phycological Society Annual Meeting Newcastle (January 2023). 120 participants (academic)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Public Engagement Group meeting 1 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact Six members of the public joined our Public and Patient Involvement Group designed to harness community input on the benefits of, and barriers to wild swimming.

One member of the PEG acted as a facilitator for the PEG, and one member of the PEG is working with Fiona Moffatt to generate theory from the qualitative synthesis on Perceived health and wellbeing benefits of Wild Swimming (WP2)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Public Engagement Group meeting 2 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Six members of the public joined our Public and Patient Involvement Group designed to harness community input on the benefits of, and barriers to wild swimming.

One member of the PEG acted as a facilitator for the PEG, and one member of the PEG is working with Fiona Moffatt to generate theory from the qualitative synthesis on Perceived health and wellbeing benefits of Wild Swimming (WP2)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Public Health Wales Research & Evaluation Conference presentation: The linguistic representation of the benefits and risks of wild swimming 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact • Knight, D., McClaughlin, E., Adolphs, S., Moffatt, F., Carroll, J., Jackson, J. H., McGowan, S., Pratt, L., Sotirova, V. and Timmons, S. (2022). The linguistic representation of the benefits and risks of wild swimming. Paper presented at Public Health Wales Research and Evaluation Conference 2022, Cardiff, Wales. 7th December 2022

Requests for further information made and plans for future partnership activities
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Swim England 'delighted' to help new project on benefits of outdoor swimming. Swim England article, March 24th 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Article prepared by Swim England publicising the partnership between the Wild Swimming and Blue Spaces project and Swim England, including details of the aims and objectives of the project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.swimming.org/openwater/wild-swimming-blue-spaces-project/
 
Description Twitter account 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Twitter account @swimbluespaces 109 followers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://twitter.com/Swimbluespaces
 
Description University of Nottingham: Spreading the Word on the Benefits of Wild Swimming 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact University of Nottingham news item: 'Spreading the word on the health benefits of wild swimming', 22nd March 2022. Introduction to the project and researchers and directed readers to our project website.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/spreading-the-word-on-the-health-benefits-of-wild-swimming
 
Description Water Quality as a barrier to wild swimming (Poster) Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences, (SEFS) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact McGowan S, Adolphs S, Adlam C, Carvalho L, Moffatt F Water Quality as a barrier to wild swimming (Poster) Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences, (SEFS), Newcastle (June 2023). Audience of 400 people.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Water Quality as a barrier to wild swimming (Poster): ASLO summer meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact McGowan S, Adolphs S, Adlam C, Carvalho L, Moffatt F Water Quality as a barrier to wild swimming (Poster). ASLO (Society for Advancement of Limnology and Oceanography) summer meeting, Mallorca (June 2023). -- 3000 people
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Wild Swimming and Blue Spaces website 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Project website for the dissemination of project findings and resources.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://swim.wp.horizon.ac.uk/
 
Description Workshop: Participatory approaches to water quality at the Landelijke zwemwaterdag 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Workshop to coincide with National Swim Water Day
Organizers: McGowan S and Teurlincx S: Participatory approaches to water quality at the Landelijke zwemwaterdag (National swim water day), 18 April 2023, RIVM Utrecht. Approximately 15 participants including water managers and agencies.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023