MORE than 1,000 free or discounted sessions have been enjoyed in Teignmouth seafront’s sauna.

The Devon Community Sauna Community Interest Company (DCS) has been operating on the promenade since October since when thousands of people have enjoyed the wood-fired facility.

Those paying full price are charged £15 for a 55-minute session but the income means that each Wednesday anyone can take advantage of discounted or free sessions.

DCS Director and Teignmouth resident Sara Dance had previously worked on delivering women’s retreats which involved saunas to aid physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Research suggests regular steam sessions can prolong life and reduce the risk of health conditions such as high blood pressure.

Sara explained: ‘We thought, we love where we live and we really want to contribute, and Teignmouth seafront is brilliant so we got on to Teignbridge District Council and said, hello, we want to put a sauna on Teignmouth seafront.’

Initially the offer was rejected but after 18 months no other organisation had stepped in to take the site lease so the sauna rolled into town.

Created in a converted horse box, it can accommodate eight people and uses high quality timber to produce minimal smoke.

Users are encouraged to mix fresh dips in the sea with sessions in the steam room, all under the guidance of Sara and her team of 15 staff who advise on health and safety.

‘Our two big focusses through this business are community, convening a community, acting on behalf of a community and sauna for all, not just sauna for rich people,’ Sara said.

‘Our absolute commitment is that each week we hold Wellbeing Wednesdays so it’s pay what you feel, you can come for free.

‘So far we have given away more than 1,000 free or discounted sessions, that’s up to £15,000 worth of community contribution that we’ve made and want to make.

‘We’ve had some amazing feedback including that from an NHS rehabilitation group who came here and afterwards the person who led it said that for some of the people who’d come, this was their only social interaction that week.

‘So we are doing something about loneliness, we’re doing something about mental health, we’re doing something about helping people to be really well and we care about that.’

Mayor Cllr Cate Williams said: ‘It’s fantastic, absolutely brilliant for Teignmouth.

‘You’re down on the front, right by the sea with this wonderful view then it’s a dip in the sea followed by a sauna.

‘The health benefits are wonderful, transformative.

‘This is a feather in Teignmouth’s cap and we should be very grateful that Sara and her team have chosen us as one of their sites, long may that continue to be the case.’