How Swim Sista Swim Is Redefining Water Confidence for Black Women in the UK

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Language, Identity & Belonging Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. Each Friday, we highlight people who are quietly transforming what it means to feel seen and included. This week, we focus on voice, access, and belonging. In Nottingham, U.K., Carol Burrell is not just teaching women to swim; she’s helping them reclaim their confidence, space, and story.

Her Swim Sista Swim initiative is changing how Black women see themselves in water, and what waterways can mean to them. Carol Burrell and Swim Sista Swim: from fear to flow! In many communities, water holds both promise and anxiety. For Black women in Nottingham, social and cultural barriers have made aquatic activities feel inaccessible.

That’s why Carol Burrell, Community Wellbeing Coordinator for the Canal & River Trust, launched Swim Sista Swim, a confidence-building swimming initiative created specifically for Black African and Caribbean women in her community. Carol Burrell receiving a Health and Care Award. Photo courtesy of Canal and River Trust. With funding from Sport England, the pilot launched with 25 participants in ten weekly sessions at a local leisure center.

The program blended swim instruction and water safety with open dialogue about barriers such as cultural perceptions, haircare, and confidence. In partnership with Soul Cap, swim caps designed for Afro hair were distributed to help tackle one more obstacle. Carol made it clear this wasn’t just about teaching swim strokes: “There are women in the group who have held onto this fear of water for 30 or 40 years, believing that they can’t swim because that’s what they’ve been told all their lives,” she said in a Canal & River Trust feature.

“Week in, week out, I’ve seen the confidence just grow and grow… for a lot of them, the experience has been life‑changing.” Participants didn’t stop at the pool’s edge. Many have since taken to the canal, exploring paddleboarding and even training to support others in their journeys. The project’s ripple effect is real and growing. Visibility, recognition & what’s next Carol’s impact has resonated far beyond Nottingham.

In 2025, she joined Sport England’s “This Girl Can” Black women’s advisory panel, further cementing her as a leading voice in accessible wellness. The Swim Sista Swim model has caught the attention of local press, national campaigns, and online audiences alike. Videos and features continue to document its growth, and Carol has publicly shared plans for future expansion. She confirmed to The Optimist Daily that the third cohort is now underway, and “things are in the pipeline”.

Why Swim Sista Swim stands out Redefining representation: Swim Sista Swim creates culturally safe, affirming spaces where Black women see themselves reflected and uplifted. Health meets equity: The program links physical confidence with mental well-being while addressing generational exclusion from water-based recreation. Bridging barriers: From custom gear to open conversations about shame and fear, Swim Sista Swim meets women where they are. Scalable promise: Backed by funders and loved by participants, it offers a replicable model for inclusive aquatic wellness.

Photo courtesy of Canal and River Trust From the founder When our team reached out to let her know that she’s been recognized as a local changemaker, Carol responded with characteristic humility: “All I’m trying to do is change the narrative and encourage Black women to access water-based activities by building up their water confidence.” Want to learn more? Watch a short video about Swim Sista Swim here Read more from the Canal & River Trust here Follow Swim Sista Swim updates via Carol’s LinkedInThe post How Swim Sista Swim Is Redefining Water Confidence for Black Women in the UK first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.