A new nationwide training initiative is equipping thousands of UK swimming coaches with the skills to help people overcome a fear of water.

Aquaphobia affects an estimated 12.8 million people in the UK – nearly one in three adults – yet remains largely unacknowledged by government and under-served by leisure operators. The impact extends far beyond the pool: people with aquaphobia often miss out on social experiences, family holidays and vital life-saving water skills.

“If this was a virus, it would be treated as a pandemic,” says founder of the Institute of Aquaphobia (IoA) Mike Burman. “Instead, it’s a silent epidemic. Millions are shut out of leisure, wellness and community opportunities. And the sector is missing out on their membership fees, their café spend, their families’ activities. We can change that. When you create safe, supportive pathways for aquaphobic adults, you open the doors to millions who’ve previously avoided your facilities.”

The IoA has partnered with Everyone Active to train more than 2,000 swimming instructors in the Aquaphobia Learning Programme (ALP) – a science-based, trauma-informed approach to tackling fear of water.

Rather than focusing on traditional technique-led teaching, it helps participants feel safe in the water through relaxation, breathwork, and gradual exposure. Only once confidence is established does stroke technique follow.

Everyone Active is rolling out the model across its nationwide network of pools. The long-term goal is to ensure every leisure centre has certified provision for people with aquaphobia, normalising access and addressing a public health gap.

“It’s not just about swimming,” says Burman. “It’s about inclusion. It’s about the mum who avoids pool parties, the retiree who’s anxious on holiday, the child whose parents never learned and therefore miss the cycle of teaching their kids. Tackling aquaphobia is about breaking that cycle.

“Every operator is looking for ways to diversify their offer and increase participation. Aquaphobia provision ticks every box: it serves an untapped population, changes lives, and strengthens the commercial base of our sector.”