Our Water Wellbeing funding and support helps community access pools to become more accessible to inactive people, particularly older people and adults with long term health conditions.

Swimming and pool based activities have a significant positive impact on peoples physical and mental wellbeing with swimmers reporting feeling on average 6.4% healthier than non-swimmers – this is comparable to feeling 12 years younger.

It seems to particularly benefit women, more than doubling their self-confidence, and has a been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression

The activity is low impact making it more suitable for older adults and adults with physical long term health conditions too – supporting cardiovascular fitness, strength, and balance, reducing the risk of falls, obesity, and chronic conditions like heart disease.

By working with us you‘ll be helping to reduce health inequalities by breaking down cultural, and physical barriers that have been stopping people taking part.  Making your pool and venue more inclusive and accessible, you’ll be improving physical activity levels, water safety, and overall well-being in your local community.

Up to £3850 is available per pool, and the funding can be spent on training and development, equipment and subscription costs related to delivery of an aquatic health programme.

It’s important that any application is clearly focused on and can evidence what’s needed in the local community.

Water Wellbeing applications can be submitted from November 2025.

Funding for the Water Wellbeing Program is only available to publicly funded or not-for-profit organisations, such as local authorities, leisure trusts, charities, and community interest companies. Commercial or privately operated facilities are not eligible to apply.

Gaining accreditation is a three-step process.

1. Reviewing your pool and wider site and producing an action plan to create an inclusive customer experience.
2. Designing a local aquatic health programme and applying for funding to deliver it.
3. Demonstrating the impact of your aquatic health programme.

This funding is to support stage two of the accreditation. You will need to confirm you have completed stage one before submitting an application form. If you have not completed stage one you can find details of how on the Swim England website: www.swimming.org/swimengland/health-and-wellbeing/ 

The funding was launched in October 2025 with a live event. Meet the team coordinating the first Water Wellbeing project of its kind, and find inspiration on how the funding can be used, access to free resources and details of the stages for accreditation.

Water Wellbeing Hampshire and Isle of Wight is funded through a partnership between Energise Me, Hampshire County Council and Isle of Wight Public Health.

Water Wellbeing accreditation is a product of Swim England and their delivery partners.

The funding is not available to privately funded commercial organisations. The Water Wellbeing accreditation can still be achieved by contacting Swim England Directly.