November in the swim community
NOWCA’s Sub10 Club is back this winter and Mental Health Swims shares one of their inspiring volunteer swim host stories. Stay up to date with our outdoor swimming community news for November 2024.
NOWCA: Sub10 Club is back!
Our Sub10 Club is back! Running from 1 November to 31 March, you can earn a tally for each sub10 swim or dip you complete at a participating venue. Hit 10, 25, or 50 swims in the season, and you’ll receive a special badge to mark your achievement. For those who reach 100 cumulative swims since joining, there’s the exclusive Centurion badge!
First launched in 2019, the Sub10 Club was created to give winter swimmers a safe and supportive environment. It’s not about distance or speed – it’s about showing up, embracing the experience, and being part of a community that loves cold water swimming. With the rise in popularity of winter swimming, the club has grown rapidly, doubling in participants and swims each year.
Anita, a regular swimmer at London Royal Docks, earned her Centurion badge last year. She shared: “I’ve always been rubbish at sport; can’t run fast, can’t catch or hit a ball, bad at team sports, always last to be picked for games. So I’m proud, in my 60s, to achieve a badge, particularly as cold water swimming counts as an “extreme sport”! And I love it!”
Join the SUB10 CLUB group on the NOWCA Wild app for news and updates. Visit our website for more information about Sub10 Club or to register your venue: nowca.org
Mental Health Swims: volunteer swim host Audrey shares her story
I have a long history of mental health issues and I’m working exceptionally hard to address my agoraphobia and absence of being part of a group. As a result of this, my anxiety is hard to spot but is profound. I found MHS on Facebook and felt that it was something I’d like to try, in the hope that the support of someone with empathy for mental health issues would help support me. I felt extremely anxious and although swim host Jacqui was very positive in her messages, it took an immense amount of courage and self motivation just to turn up.
When I’m in the water, I feel a level of peace looking at the sky, landscape and I love it when it rains. My anxiety is not something that just disappears when I breathe or if someone says, “There’s nothing to be anxious about” – I have a lot to work on.
If you are thinking about coming along to a swim meet up, look up your local MHS on the swim map online and contact the swim host directly with ask any questions you have. Rest assured, you will be supported. Even if you put your toe in the water and don’t want to go in, there is no pressure. I find repetition is my best way of achieving what I want to do. I’ve tried other groups but this one is the most accommodating and supportive in every way.
It gives me hope that one day I’ll feel more independent, less anxious and generally more comfortable that I can achieve things that have been missing from my life for more than 22 years. Hopefully it will keep me feeling alive, less depressed and have a positive effect on my anxiety.
Find your local swimming group: mentalhealthswims.co.uk/swim-meet-locations/