Wild swimming has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the past decade, with more and more people extolling the virtues to both body and mind of taking a dip in natural waters.
Celebrities such as Ed Sheeran, Ferne Cotton, and David Cameron are regular outdoor swimmers, new open water swimming locations continue to open around the country and events including Swim Serpentine are booming.But as the profile of outdoor swimming rises, so too has the awareness that swimming is not an activity that is for everyone. And given what an important life skill it is, that is something that London Marathon Events (LME) is working hard to change by working alongside swim crews and community clubs across the capital.
An alarming report from the Black Swimming Association shows that 48 per cent of Black and Asian people surveyed did not know how to stay safe in water. Furthermore, 84 per cent felt that swimming and other aquatic activities were uncommon in their communities.
The study also found that 34 per cent of the people surveyed said that friendship-based swimming groups would be a persuasive factor in getting them to try swimming or to swim more often.
For the 2024 edition of Swim Serpentine, LME is working with a host of swim crews, including Swimmerbolts and Cycle Sisters, to show swimming is for everyone and to encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to give it a go.
Sanaa Qureshi is the Community Engagement and Partnerships Manager at LME and has been working hard to engage with communities across the London to show swimming can be for all. This included hosting two swim taster sessions in the Serpentine Lido ahead of this year’s Swim Serpentine, specifically for community groups.
She said: “The popularity of outdoor swimming has grown significantly in recent years and more and more people are enjoying the mental and physical health benefits of exercising in open water. But it is alarming that there are communities where swimming, not just open water swimming, is not part of people’s lives.
“We are committed to helping change this. We know there are some incredible swim crews around London who are making a huge difference to diversity in swimming and by working with them to highlight their stories and offering them support, we’re hoping to move that dial.”
Swimmerbolts have been holding open water swimming sessions since 2023, led by Prabina Talary, who was the first Nepali woman to complete the London Classics. This year, Swimmerbolts have 24 people taking part in Swim Serpentine, with nine of them set to complete their London Classics – the iconic challenge which requires people to complete the London Marathon, RideLondon 100 bike ride and swim two miles at Swim Serpentine.
Several Swimmerbolts enjoyed the taster sessions at the Serpentine where trained swim coaches gave them top tips on how to swim in open water.
Prabina said: “I used to swim a lot as a child and then re-found my love of swimming after 30 years in 2022 when I became a Swimathon UK Ambassador. Now I'm passionate about encouraging others to swim more. People from my community and the crews I was speaking to weren’t used to seeing people like us swimming. They didn’t know people already taking part in open water swimming, so they didn’t have access to information or the confidence to try it. With Swimmerbolts I’m trying to help those people feel more confident, experience the joy of swimming, and represent our community.”
Prithvi Khadka, Swimmerbolts member, said: “I nearly drowned as a kid and I really want to overcome the fear of not being able to swim. I started open-water swimming in July with Swimmerbolts and I’m still learning every time I come in. I’m trying my best to keep at it and slowly but surely hoping to become a good swimmer. It helps a lot when you have someone cheering for you and telling you you’ve got this.”
Cycle Sisters also offers swimming sessions and had 23 women complete a challenge at the T100 triathlon in July. Cycle Sisters have 20 women taking on a distance at the 2024 Swim Serpentine, with 5 people set to complete their London Classics challenge.
Sarah Javid, Cycle Sisters founder, said: “We're really pleased to be working with London Marathon Events to help make swimming more accessible for different communities. Our swimming lessons and open water coaching sessions create a supportive space which meets the needs of Muslim women. Many of the women accessing our lessons learned to swim as adults and it's amazing to witness their journeys from the pool to open water swimming and participating in events such as the Swim Serpentine. They are fantastic role models for other women, demonstrating that swimming is for everyone!”
Amber Safdar, Cycle Sisters member and part of their Tri Sisters group, said:
“Tri Sisters has been a brilliant support group, I wouldn’t have started outdoor swimming without them. It gives me confidence, everybody seems to be in the same boat, everyone shares their experiences, and it just gives you the belief that you can do it as well.
“I lived in Holland as a child, and it was just a part of life there: everyone learnt how to swim. But in the UK, it’s a lot more restrictive. The awareness is increasing of our needs though, things like modesty changing tents, and it feels like there’s more inclusion now due to increased awareness.”
Rute Robalo, member of Cycle Sisters and Fund Her Tri, said:
“I had signed up to Swim Serpentine in 2022, and the event was postponed when the Queen died. Then I lost my nerve. But once I joined Tri Sisters and Fund Her Tri, I got back involved and am signed up for 2024! Swimming with a group makes me feel more confident and comfortable. I feel that I’m safer.
“My biggest barrier to swimming has always been my hair issues. Not finding suitable swimming caps that either would stay on for the duration of my swim, or they wouldn’t fit my whole hair in.”
Barriers identified by swim crews which they believe are stopping their communities from getting more into outdoor swimming include the cost of kit, information about where open water swimming takes place, feeling confident in their aquatic skills and techniques, and spaces for women’s privacy to keep the activity halal.
To address these barriers, swim crews offer several initiatives, including taking their members to explore lakes and lidos, supporting their members to become more confident by teaching them about how to book venues and find the right swimming gear, teaching different techniques and styles, and holding women-only sessions.
To make the event more inclusive and diverse for 2024, Swim Serpentine has offered discount entries to community groups, organised taster swimming sessions to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds feel more confident before event day, and are offering private gender-neutral, female and male changing spaces, larger-fit swim caps, and have introduced a multi-faith reflection space which participants and spectators can use to pray, reflect or if they need some quiet at the event.