Focus Group about outdoor environments that prominently feature water
About the study
Natural England has asked the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to carry out this study to better understand how people use outdoor environments that prominently feature water.
Natural England is interested in learning more about:
- What factors influence people’s use of these spaces
- What prevents people from making greater use of these spaces
By taking part, you will help inform Natural England’s policies, to increase access to and use of outdoor environments that prominently feature water.
We will not tell Natural England, or anyone else, that you have taken part or what you specifically have said.
Who can take part?
We are interested in speaking with people who visit outdoor environments – either natural or manmade - that prominently feature water, including beaches, coastlines, the sea, as well as rivers, lakes, lidos and canals. We will be running focus groups with individuals who visit these environments during a typical year. These groups will be organised based on the types of activities participants usually engage in. Because Natural England want to understand what limits people from using these spaces more frequently, we will not be including those who visit them daily.
Why take part and what will it involve?
If you decide to take part, you will participate in an online focus group lasting up to 90 minutes. During the focus group, you will be asked to discuss your views and experiences of outdoor environments – either natural or manmade – that prominently feature water, including factors that affect your use of them. You will also be asked for your views on what would encourage people to use these spaces more often.
What does the focus group involve?
- The focus group will take place in January 2026 and will be conducted online.
- The focus group will last approximately 90 minutes and will be conducted by a NatCen researcher. The group will include up to 7 people.
- In the focus group, you will be asked about your views and experiences of outdoor environments – either natural or manmade – that prominently feature water, and why you use or do not use them.
- There are no right or wrong answers, and you do not need to prepare anything in advance, we just want to hear about your views and experiences.
- You will receive a £50 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for taking part.
Do I have to take part?
You do not have to take part, and you can change your mind at any time. If you do agree to take part in a focus group, you can choose not to answer questions or talk about any experiences that you do not want to discuss. You can also take a break from the focus group or withdraw from the focus group without giving us a reason.
If you change your mind and no longer want to take part in this research, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing bluespacestudy@natcen.ac.uk.
After completing a focus group, your data will be anonymised and combined with others through analysis. It will therefore not be possible to remove your contributions after the focus group.
Can I have special arrangements?
If there is anything that would help you to take part in the focus group, please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to arrange it. You can email us at bluespacestudy@natcen.ac.uk to speak to a member of the research team.
Who is carrying out the research?
NatCen is an independent social research institute. It designs, conducts, and analyses research studies in the fields of social and public policy. You can find out more about NatCen on https://natcen.ac.uk/who-are-natcen.
Contact us
If you have any questions about NatCen or about this study, please contact the research team by emailing bluespacestudy@natcen.ac.uk.