WARMTH: the UK's original horsebox sauna finds a permanent home in Sheffield

There is something wonderfully Sheffield about a sauna in a horsebox. WARMTH Community Sauna, which describes itself as the UK's original wood-fired horse box sauna, has settled into a permanent home in the yard of Nomad Maison on Stanley Street, near The Wicker.

WARMTH began as an artist's project. Its founder, Bethany Wells, first experimented with a tent sauna in 2011 as part of an architecture research project while studying at the RCA. In 2016 she built the horsebox sauna, commissioned by Compass Live Art with support from Arts Council England. The Sheffield arts charity CADS supported the build over the winter of 2015 to 2016.

Over the following years the little sauna travelled widely. It visited Slung Low in Leeds, Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre in Sheffield and Islington Mill in Salford in 2016, appeared at Compass Festival in Leeds, went to the Brighton Fringe as WARMTH Brighton in 2018, and in 2019 popped up at S1 Artspace in Sheffield, Basin Bathhouse in Glasgow and Eden Project North in Morecambe. Along the way it has been a site for experimental performance as well as regular sauna sessions.

Today the Finnish-style horsebox sauna sits alongside a cold plunge for one or two people and an outdoor shower. Sessions include Aufguss with eucalyptus oil and birch water, as well as traditional birch whisks. WARMTH is open six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday.

The ethos is simple and welcoming. The space is for all bodies, regardless of gender, size, shape or age. Visitors go barefoot, leave their phones behind and take things at their own pace, and the team keeps overheads low so that sessions stay simple and affordable.

Regulars clearly treasure it. One visitor, Christie, called it "one of very few things that can actually chill me out", while Leann asked: "How can you not strike up conversation when 5 people are sat in swimwear in a horsebox!" Another, Micky, said it "made me feel real good about my body."

The yard is wheelchair accessible with a level entrance, and WARMTH invites visitors to get in touch about any specific access needs.

On a cold Sheffield evening, it is hard to think of a cosier way to meet your neighbours.

Sessions can be booked through the WARMTH Community Sauna website.