What does it feel like to swim in a space shaped with you, not just for you?
To feel welcomed, supported, and part of something — not watched, but witnessed?
That was the atmosphere at Sea Lanes Brighton, the UK’s national open water swimming centre,
where we hosted our first research-informed swim day exclusively for people with lived experience
of sight loss.
The pool was hired in full, giving guests the freedom to use the water in whatever way felt right:
some joined coaches to train in lanes, others returned to swimming after time away, and many
simply came to enjoy the sensory calm of being in or near the sea. The Clubhouse offered space to
warm up, share refreshments, and reflect on what water means to each of us.
Dr Catherine Kelly — coastal wellbeing researcher and author of Blue Spaces: How and Why Water
Can Make You Feel Better — led a gentle shoreline session that brought people together in
conversation and care.
What made the day so powerful wasn’t just the swimming — it was the generosity with which guests
shared their stories. From personal memories to reflections on access, interdependence and
belonging, every voice added to a wider conversation on what makes blue spaces truly inclusive.
The event formed part of my PhD fieldwork and was made possible thanks to funding from the
University of Brighton’s Centre for Arts and Wellbeing. Advance and on-the-day press coverage
helped amplify the voices of participants, raising awareness of the rich, diverse experiences of sight
loss and watery connection.
Huge thanks to Sea Lanes Brighton, Sight Support Worthing, our brilliant guests, volunteers, and the
media teams who approached the day with such care and thoughtfulness.
