Black Swimming Association
Promoting water safety and inclusivity in Southend
Thanks to a partnership with the Port of London Authority and their Active Thames Funding, Active Essex are working with the Black Swimming Association to break down the barriers into participation in swimming activities by raising awareness of water safety and through drowning prevention sessions.
Receiving the largest grant of the 2023/24 fund, The Active Southend-on-Thames project is a new multi-agency approach raising participation levels of Southend’s residents on or near the water’s edge. The project is multifaceted, tackling the inequalities that prevent local people from accessing the water for safe physical activity. Working with the Black Swimming Association (BSA) to break down the barriers to participation of swimming, the project aims to raise awareness of water safety and drowning prevention and help improve the diversity of participation for underrepresented groups which is one of Active Thames’ priorities for the funding
Despite providing numerous health benefits, Sport England findings suggest that 96.5% of black adults and 81.8% of black children do not swim, despite 64% of the demographic being considered active.
Swimming is known to have one of the highest amounts of health benefits compared to any other form of physical activity. The low impact water-based activity, like other ways of getting active, helps increase muscle function and increases cardiovascular endurance. However, swimming is unique in the impact that it has on your body. Moving in the water allows you to increase your heart rate without being too physically taxing, making it perfect for people with long term health conditions and muscular diseases as well as being perfect for those recovering from injury.
Alongside this work, the Black Swimming Association is conducting a ground-breaking research project with the RNLI and the University of Portsmouth. The project aims to dispel some of the myths surrounding ethnically diverse communities, water safety and floating.
This research is working alongside the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) FLOAT to Live safety campaign, which is encouraging anyone in trouble when in the water to relax and lean back in the shape of a starfish to regain control of their breathing. A training consortium has been brought together in support, with representatives from RNLI, the School Sport Partnership (SSP) and Southend HAF to aid the delivery of this.
RNLI, alongside other community partners, as part of the Active Thames project will support the upskilling of the community in educational programmes to highlight the importance of water safety and the many benefits of water activities. This will help children and young people gain insight in how to be safer when in the water. SSP will recruit and train role models from underrepresented groups who can inspire individuals to get into water activities. Essex County Council will provide Essex Coastal Explorer Activity booklets to be utilised in schools and as outreach resources, engaging residents in blue spaces.
This project, achievable through Active Thames funding, highlights the value of working with national partners to leverage expertise in fields that can help design our programmes to reach demographic that might not normally engage.
