About Us
” We believe in empowering everyone – people of all skin colours, body shapes, ages, sexualities, genders, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy the healing power of cold water and community. Join us for a chat on the beach, a litter pick, a paddle or a swim in the shallows. We are an easy-going group that prefers short dips to long distances and puts companionship before competitive swimming.”
Rachel Ashe,
Founder
Fitting in is never easy and a personality disorder diagnosis makes being on the outside a daily reality. That was true for Mental Health Swims founder Rachel Ashe. Trying new activities felt daunting but on New Years day 2019, Rachel found the courage to join a group swim and this sparked a fire in her. Amazed at the positive effects of cold-water, she started a monthly swim meet-up at her local beach. This meet-up became Mental Health Swims, a social enterprise fighting stigma through cold-water and community.
During lockdown in 2020, 80 outdoor cold-water dips formed across the UK. Mental Health Swims now works with an incredible team of volunteers to make safe, welcoming spaces for anyone struggling with their mental health.
Contact Us
Get in touch – we’d love to hear from you
Hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for below, but if in doubt, email us at hello@mentalhealthswims.co.uk and we’ll ensure you’re speaking to the right people.
Fundraising: finance@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
Media & PR: media@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
Partnerships: rachel@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
Safeguarding: safeguarding@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
To share your Mental Health Swims stories: stories@mentalhealthswims.co.uk
Website: webmaster@mentalhealthswims.co.uk