Double Paralympic champion and English Channel trailblazer Melanie Barratt is joining University of Brighton researchers, British Blind Sport and SwimTrek to support a new project helping blind and partially sighted people gain confidence in the sea.
The project
Gateway to the Sea is a new sea swimming initiative taking place on Saturday 27 June in Brighton, designed to help blind and partially sighted people build confidence in open water through supported coaching, guided swims and shared learning. Led by the University of Brighton in partnership with British Blind Sport – the UK’s national disability sport organisation for blind and partially sighted people – and open water swimming specialists SwimTrek, the initiative is also supported by Melanie Barratt – a double Paralympic champion, six-time World Champion, World Triathlon Champion and the first blind woman to swim the English Channel.
Using Sea Lanes Brighton as a base, participants will spend time both in the centre’s facilities and in the sea itself, supported by SwimTrek’s coaches and swim guides and experienced open water swimmers. The initiative builds directly on University of Brighton research led by PhD researcher Sadie Rockliffe, which examines the opportunities and barriers blind and partially sighted people encounter when accessing blue spaces such as seas, rivers and lakes. Organisers hope Gateway to the Sea will provide a model that can be developed in other locations around the UK, creating lasting opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to access blue spaces safely, confidently and enjoyably. While open water swimming continues to grow in popularity across the UK, many people with sight loss face significant barriers to participation.
The initiative has been designed to address these challenges through a fully supported day of coaching, guided swimming and shared learning, helping participants experience the sea in a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment.
The programme includes pool-based coaching, a guided sea swim supported by qualified coaches and one-to-one swim guides, opportunities for discussion and reflection, and a talk from Melanie Barratt about her own journey in swimming and open water.
Melanie Barratt said: “I have always loved the feeling of freedom being in the water gives me and have always loved to swim. After I retired from competitive swimming I always swam for relaxation and the joy it brings. I remember longing to swim in open water, and to swim from place to place, even country to country – but I thought it would be impossible.
“However, the open water swimming community is incredibly welcoming and inclusive and I was supported and helped into the water – and I was hooked! The feeling of literally being immersed in nature; the sounds, smells, colours and sensations were just like nothing else. I fell in love with the personal challenge it gave me and one thing led to another…
“Being blind or visually impaired can be so incredibly isolating, sometimes it’s difficult just leaving the house. But since joining a local open water swimming group I have made some incredible friends and developed a confidence in what I can do that has spilled over into all areas of my life. I know how hard it was to take those first initial steps into the water, so I am so excited to be able to offer this opportunity to others!”
By creating opportunities for people with sight loss to access the sea safely and confidently, the project aims to contribute to a wider conversation about inclusion, wellbeing and who gets to enjoy the benefits of the natural environment.
