Plymouth charity helps refugees overcome sea trauma at Weston Marine Lake

The charity aims to help women feel safe in the sea, overcoming water based trauma. Credit: Stevie-Jo Fowler

A charity based in Plymouth is helping refugees overcome sea trauma with group swimming sessions at Weston Marine Lake.

Reclaim the Sea (RTS) seeks to make the sea a safe space, especially for those with traumatic experiences who may associate the water with loss and fear.

This can be as a result of difficult crossings to reach the UK, experiences on migrant boats or not having access to the sea in their home countries.

Partnering with Refugees Welcome North Somerset (RWNS), the group recently welcomed eight women to Weston-super-Mare's Marine Lake for a four-week programme.

The weekly sessions allow participants to learn basic swimming skills, some of them for the first time.

The charity has been hosting swim sessions at Weston Marine Lake. Credit: Stevie-Jo Fowler

RWNS is a North Somerset charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers providing critical housing, family and immigration advice.

From its creation in 2022, RTS has run four programmes, helping refugees and asylum-seekers to swim, surf and paddle board on the south coast.

Director of RTS, Rebecca Van Der Veer, said the impact has been "beautiful to witness".

"A great bonus is the feedback we get from volunteers who say it has been ‘the highlight of the summer’, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Somerset and beyond.”

Donna King from RWNS says: "We are once again inspired by the courage and trust shown by women who have been through so much.

Participants are paired with a volunteer on a one-to-one basis for all their sessions. Credit: Stevie-Jo Fowler

"We are lucky to have the marine lake on our doorstep, and being able to share this with our new friends has been an absolute privilege.”

Programme lead and swimming instructor, Rebecca Wetten said she believes the sessions can be "life-changing".

"To say life as a refugee or asylum-seeker in the UK is difficult is an understatement.

"Reclaim the Sea is the perfect antithesis to this; positive, community-led action that offers refugees and asylum seekers a chance to find joy and safety in the sea."

The charity hopes to expand its services, offering the opportunity to more refugee women across the South West.

The scheme is community funded, a crowdfunder has been set up, but the charity says more sustainable funding is needed to continue their work.