Link Centre Awarded Water Wellbeing Accreditation by Swim England
Link Centre in Swindon has been awarded Water Wellbeing Accreditation by Swim England. The accreditation is for aquatic providers to follow to ensure that all the essential elements in creating the most inclusive, attractive, and supportive environments are addressed, and provides referring healthcare professionals and members of the public with reassurance around high standards of consistency and quality of support. Since the pool was affected by flooding, the Centre has been working towards achieving the accreditation.
Link Centre delivers Aquatic Activity for Health sessions, designed for those with long term health conditions. One of the session attendees, Sarah Colbourne, says she has taken control of her life and the debilitating health issues that have blighted it for the last thirteen years. The forty-two-year-old, from Swindon, lives with chronic bowel disease and fibromyalgia. The conditions meant she was regularly bed bound, significantly overweight, miserable and in great pain.
In June 2024, she asked her GP for help and was referred to the Healthwise programme run by GLL at leisure centres across the Swindon.
Seven months later, the senior ophthalmic consultant is nearly five stone lighter, stronger, has more stamina, less pain and feels she can achieve anything.
“I didn’t know what to expect and was very nervous at first,” said Sarah. “I’ve never been a gym goer but love swimming, so I started with Aquatics for Health sessions.
“The workout is gentle and impactful and helps build a strong core, strengthens muscles and improves balance. Sometimes I find myself smiling when I’m doing the exercise, because it feels so good to ask my body to do something challenging, have it respond and actually succeed.
“The class itself is joyful, judgment free and supportive - we laugh so much.”
One month later, Kat Rusek, the Healthwise coordinator, suggested Sarah would benefit from gym exercises as well. Very reluctant to begin with, Sarah is now happily in the Link Centre gym four times a week, whilst also spending a similar amount of time in the pool.
When Sarah’s fibromyalgia flared up, Kat and the team were there to support her.
“I was so scared it would undo all my hard work, that I’d spend weeks in bed and not have the willpower to return,” she said. “Kat was very empathetic, explained the importance of listening to my body and reassured me all would be well.
“She was right. I recovered completely in two weeks and returned to the centre more excited than ever about carrying on and improving my physical and mental health.
“I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved. Thanks to Healthwise and Kat, my body is no longer the enemy, and I feel like I’m in love with living again.”