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Vic's Story

"When I began to see the way wild swimming helped me with my mental health and confidence, it became something that I didn't even contemplate cancelling or missing."

I am a plus-size gal and I've always very much had the ‘I can’t do that, I'm too fat’ or ‘people will look at me’ or ‘there isn’t swimwear/activewear that will fit me’ mindset.

I also never really had anyone to ‘go’ with, or if I did it always felt competitive or a challenge to be better than one another.

I have always had the view that exercise is for losing weight and have never really been able to shift that way of thinking.

In September 2023, my friend Leia invited me to pop down to our local wild swimming lakes (Pool Bridge Farm) on a warm late summer's evening. I was up for it; it was warm and the coolness was so welcoming. The rest is history; we have been swimming at Pool Bridge Farm (or out on adventures) 2-3 times a week since.

In December 2023, two of my friends, Emily and Leia, and I created The Yorkshire Dippers: a wild and cold water swimming community with an aim to bring people together in an inclusive environment to explore wild swim spots around Yorkshire. It’s fantastic as we always have someone to swim or explore with.

Vic and her friend in their swimming costumes, smiling with their arms raised by a river on a bright, sunny day with trees and lush greenery behind them.

As a full-time teacher who constantly has at least two other hobbies going on at any given time, I was convinced this was just going to be another thing I spent money on and then gave up within a few weeks/months.

But... when I began to see the way wild swimming helped me with my mental health and confidence, it became something that I didn't even contemplate cancelling or missing.

If I missed some time, I could really feel the mental strain and how my brain was in need of that refreshed feeling. I honestly hate it when the ‘fitness influencers’ say you have to make time but honestly, it's true *shudder* … but when you enjoy it so much it's easy to be able to prioritise it!

Vic in the middle of a lake wearing an orange life jacket.

Wild swimming makes me feel amazing – there's no other way to describe it really. Even on days where it's more of a plonk into the water and back out again, there are still so many positive things!

A few years ago I was that person who would look forward to doing absolutely nothing on a weekend and now I try to pack as much adventuring and exploring into my free time as possible.

My life really has done a full 180 – I no longer care about how long it will take me to get somewhere or if I'll look like an idiot trying to clamber down into some water. I don't care and it feels great to be able to say that.