How the cost of living crisis has affected your swimming | London lidos | Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water opens wild swim survey
Published: Sat, 02/25/23
Your essential weekly edit of outdoor swimming
YOUR ESSENTIAL WEEKLY EDIT OF OUTDOOR SWIMMING
#swimwildandfree
Dear fellow swimmers
This week I’ve been looking at how your swimming has been impacted by the cost
of living crisis in the data from our Attitudes to Outdoor Swimming survey. Not surprisingly, many of you have delayed kit purchases, cancelled gym memberships and postponed holiday plans. You clearly don’t need a government minister to advise you on how to save money. You’re already making do and mending, sharing lifts and cutting back on coffee and cake. On the other hand, 10% of you are swimming outdoors more frequently and many of you
expressed gratitude that you have a low-cost activity in your life that brings a lot of joy and benefits. It’s clear that swimming is important, and you are doing what you can to keep doing it.
You may have seen me
on BBC news this week, talking about Thames Water’s plans to abstract water from the Thames at my local swimming spot and replace it with effluent from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works – an alarming
prospect, despite Thames Water claiming it won’t harm the river. I’ve also joined a group that is looking into applying for bathing water status for this same stretch of water. It’s early days, but earlier this week I was interviewed
by iNews about it. Related to this, you may have seen that Surfers Against Sewage and the Rivers Trust are campaigning for 200 new inland bathing waters and are providing support and resources to groups that want to apply. While there are hoops to jump through, anyone can apply. If successful, the Environment Agency will be required to monitor the water quality, providing swimmers with information and increasing pressure on polluters.
Get involved if you can.
HOW THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS HAS AFFECTED YOUR SWIMMING
If you’re making cutbacks, you’re not alone. In our Attitudes to Outdoor Swimming survey, almost one in three swimmers say the cost of the living crisis has negatively impacted their activities...
John Weller and Lola Culsán, passionate swimmers and authors of guidebook Outdoor Swimming London, share ten of their favourite open-air swimming spots, all a short train journey (or long cycle ride) from London.
Think deserted beaches lined with tilting coconut trees, protected marine parks like giant tropical fish bowls, turtles galore – a dream open water swimming destination. Last summer Helen and her sister booked their first SwimQuest holiday in The Philippines, and here Helen gives us the low-down on her experience at Atmosphere
resort...
RNLI WARNS OF COLD-WATER SWIMMING RISKS AS SEA
TEMPERATURES DROP
Former BBC presenter and outdoor swimmer Louise Minchin has teamed up with the RNLI to remind anyone planning a winter plunge to be aware of the risks as water temperatures reach their coldest in March.
March 2023 – HEMISPHERES | Read it on digital or in print from anywhere in the world. Purchase a single issue or subscribe to a monthly magazine and save up 20% each month.
NEWS THAMES MARATHON AWARDED RACECHECK’S TOP RATED SWIMMING EVENT FOR 2022
The Thames Marathon – an endurance swim between Henley-on-Thames and Marlow, along a glorious stretch of river – has been awarded Racecheck’s Top Rated swimming event of
2022.
COMPETITION WIN THE ULTIMATE OPEN WATER BUNDLE (WORTH OVER £600)!
We’ve teamed up with our friends at Henley Swim, Outdoor Swimmer Shop, Swim Secure and Selkie to offer you a chance of winning a comprehensive open water package, just in time for the new season!
