Lakes near Evesham are to become the site of an NHS mental health study, and you can take part.

The Lenches will be used to test if open water swimming can improve wellbeing.

Having spent the past six years studying psychiatry and more recently psychotherapy, doctor Rebecca Cunningham is co-medical lead of the study, alongside doctor Amy Burlingham.

“We hope to replicate previous findings that open water swimming can improve general wellbeing and symptoms of depression on a larger scale and in a more robust way,” said Dr Cunningham.

“In mental health, it is not a 'one size fits all approach' and I strongly believe that we need to be offering a wider range of interventions for depression that don't solely focus on medication, although medication can of course be very helpful for lots of people.

“We believe that swimming in an outdoor setting has benefits including improving physical and mental health.

“Swimming outdoors allows people to exercise whilst being amongst nature and in a social setting, all of which can have huge benefits.”

On what first inspired the trial, she added: “There is a lot of media interest and qualitative research that indicates that people have had some relief from their symptoms of low mood and depression.

“The research that the team has been working on for the last five years focuses around increasing the quality of the research undertaken so that we can point to more than just isolated cases where benefits from outdoor swimming may be found.

“If the trials are successful, in the future,  this will move towards widening the offer of outdoor swimming as an alternative to other activities people take part in to help reduce symptoms of low mood and depression.”

The trial is now in its recruitment phase and local people are encouraged to take part.

Participants will be split randomly into two groups, an intervention group that will receive a free eight-week swim course at either the Lenches Lakes, the North Devon Sea or a lido in London.

There will also be a ‘treatment-as-usual’ group who will continue without any intervention but will receive a swimming course next year as incentive.

Dr Cunningham is hoping to recruit around 90 people for the trial, with the swimming courses set to begin in September.

Anyone wishing to take part can email spnt.outside@nhs.net.