A groundbreaking project is supporting visually impaired people across Sussex to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of open water swimming.
Led by researcher Sadie Rockliffe from the university’s School of Business and Law, the project focuses on making blue spaces, such as seas, lakes, and pools, more welcoming and accessible to people with sight loss.
While outdoor swimming is increasingly recognised for its health and wellbeing benefits, many blue spaces remain inaccessible to people with visual impairments. Often designed with sightedness as the default, these environments can overlook the importance of other senses, such as touch, sound, rhythm, and temperature, which are essential for many swimmers, with or without sight.
Sadie’s research project challenges this sight-centred approach by exploring how people with visual impairments connect with water through their other senses – and by working directly with participants to reimagine these environments as more inclusive, community-focused, and responsive to diverse sensory experiences.
Continue reading “Pioneering new project explores inclusive open water swimming with visually impaired community”
