A wellness hub at a picturesque lake in the Worcestershire countryside is looking to enhance the services it provides to visitors by erecting a sustainable studio where activities can be delivered on the site.

Watersedge, located just outside Bishampton and run by sisters Emily Lang and Sophy Howard, offers open water swimming, paddleboarding, yoga and sound baths, pilates and personal fitness training to boost customers’ physical and mental health while encouraging them to enjoy and connect with nature.

The pair started running Watersedge two years ago after they sadly lost their mother, Susan Howard, and have grown the business into a successful outdoor retreat venue.

Emily said: “It was our mother’s inspiration to use the lake for wild swimming and paddleboarding as a way for people to improve their mental health, and we really wanted to make a success of it for her.

“We took lifeguarding courses and set up the swimming sessions first. It has taken some time for people to become aware that we are here, but the business has now taken off.

“In April 2023 we invested in a stretch tent so that we had somewhere to provide protection for our open water swimmers and paddle boarders and to hold our yoga, sound bath, and fitness sessions.

“We wanted to offer a range of activities to promote wellness and it’s worked well so far. We’ve already built a very strong community of clients, some of whom travel from Birmingham to enjoy the lake and our offer.”

One issue that the sisters wanted to address was holding their yoga and fitness classes in poor weather. The stretch tent only provides very basic shelter from the elements.

Emily and Sophy began to look into the possibility of building a permanent wellness centre on the site - made from sustainable materials – to house activities during the colder months.

They have lodged a planning application with Wychavon District Council to construct a 150-meter square building using natural timber, and planning approval is currently still outstanding.

The sisters knew they needed support in funding the build, and contacted leading property consultancy Fisher German who regularly advise clients on sources of grant funding.

Ellie Savage, senior surveyor at Fisher German, felt the recently launched Rural England Prosperity Fund – or Rural Fund for short – could contribute significantly to the cost of the build.

The fund awards grants to businesses in rural areas to help pay for diversification projects of all kinds.

Sophy added: “We knew people who had worked with Fisher German before who told us they were very easy to work with, so we thought we’d get in touch.

“Ellie was brilliant and made the application process straight-forward. She advised us that we had a strong chance of earning the maximum grant available in Wychavon - £25,000 - to help pay for the project.

“Subject to planning permission, we’re confident of securing the funding and making the year-round wellness centre a reality in the near future. It will help us grow our community even further and ensure more people feel the benefits of getting out into nature.”

Ellie said: “The proposed wellness centre at Watersedge is a great example of a project the Rural Fund was designed for, so we guided Emily and Sophy through the application process and took the stress out of it for them.

“The centre will enhance what is already a fantastic example of rural diversification in Worcestershire, and we’re delighted to have helped contribute to the project.

“We’d encourage similar rural businesses looking for funding to pay for diversification projects like this to get in touch with Fisher German. Different local authorities offer different amounts in grant funding, so it’s important to consider every option before going ahead on a new project.”