Participant Responses After my own experience of Newcastle City Baths, informal interviews (conversations) took place in the cafe/foyer space of the baths. This enabled conversations to start when people were purchasing snacks and drinks when leaving the facilities. Open questions were asked about how the water benefited them, how does it made them feel being in water and what aspects of the pool created a lasting environment. Clear themes were then identified as a result of the conversations which are key to exploring the research topic further. When asked about how being in water benefited them, the respondents all touched upon the idea of the benefits water had on their health, both mentally and physically. For instance, illnesses, conditions and injuries. It was clear that the only negative of being in water was that it could be exhausting, however it was concluded that the positives clearly outweighed the negatives. One respondent noted the effect that water had on his arthritic condition. Respondent C:
‘The water allows me to feel like I’m as light as a feather which takes all of the pressure off my joints, it’s truly amazing how it does it. I feel like a new person when I leave the pool’
It is identified from all the responses that being immersed in water does have numerous and diverse health benefits with lasting affects. The water has a clear impact on individuals everyday life, affecting people positively in different ways Experiencing the Baths | 49
