The Teddington Bluetits
Does the thought of wild water swimming fill you with a sense of excitement or fear?
Local Marlene Lawrence loves swimming and was a regular at Pools on the Park and at the Serpentine Swimming Club in Hyde Park, until Covid happened. During lockdown she had no where to go until a friend mentioned that a small group of swimmers met on the river at Teddington and swam together, whilst still keeping socially distanced. Intrigued, and desperate to be back in the water, Marlene tried it out and fell in love. ‘I realised there was this whole community of swimmers still being able to swim.’
From this beginning, Marlene decided to set up the Teddington Bluetits, part of a nationwide community, The Bluetits Chill Swimmers, which offers guidance to those creating groups. Each group has its own Facebook page and is run by volunteers. Everyone is welcome, whether you just want to sit by the side and watch others, or swim in rivers, seas and lakes.
‘I started with four swimmers at our first Bluetits meeting,’ says Marlene, ‘and we now have 1,600 Teddington Facebook members. People would just watch us from the riverside and ask what on earth we were doing and then ask to join!’
Not all of them swim at the same time – there can be up to three groups a day. Regular meet times are Sunday morning at 8am and Friday evenings, but people just post up on the Facebook page that they are swimming, and others turn up if they want to.
The Bluetits Chill Swimmers – often just called the Bluetits or Tits – was started by Sian Richardson in 2014. Having been active in triathlons, marathons and ultramarathons, she decided she needed a new challenge that put less strain on her not-surprisingly tired joints. Wild swimming on the Pembrokeshire coast that winter, she realised that it was as much of a challenge mentally as it was physically and the colder it got, the more she enjoyed it. Others heard about her and wanted to swim, too, and the Bluetits were born. There are now more than 100 groups in the UK and others across the world, including Denmark, Iceland, the US, Spain and Austria.
But what is so enticing about the River Thames, I ask. ‘It’s something that feels so naturally beautiful,’ says Marlene. ‘It feels like a re-set for your mind. Some people have really stressful jobs, but they turn up at the end of the day and the stress just washes away.
‘There’s something about being eye level in a river, just watching what’s around you. People come for more than just the swimming. It’s a way to connect with nature, to make new friendships, and it’s good for your physical and mental health.’
People of all ages and abilities come. Says Marlene: ‘I’m 61 and I’m gutted that I didn’t start doing this earlier. The group is so diverse, I think that’s what makes it successful. People come from as far as Stockwell to swim with us. Men can be quite reluctant at first, but when they try it, they love it.’
Do they swim whatever the weather? ‘Yes, we swim all through the year. You’d think people would prefer swimming in the summer but, actually, most prefer the winter. They love the really cold water because you feel so good afterwards – it makes you feel energised for the day. We’ve sometimes had to break the ice to get in. On those days, the maximum time we would stay in is about 8-10 minutes.’ It seems that when your body gets used to the cold in winter is the time to get out.
Warm or cold, everyone stays around after the swim – and someone always brings cake. ‘I bring a trolley so that we can all grab something to eat or have a hot drink. It’s not a swim and go group!’
There are organised swims such as Barnes to Hammersmith, or they may travel for the Henley Club to Pub event. They have special night swims, too. On 5 November, they’re all in the water watching the fireworks, or at a full moon, with their lighted tow floats drifting behind them, so everyone knows where everyone else is. At the last fireworks evening, there were more than 100 swimmers and they spent the rest of the evening eating sausages and jacket potatoes together.
‘The only times we don’t swim is when there is thunder or lightening forecast or there is heavy rainfall because this will affect the water.’
Ah yes, the water. My first thought would be is it clean enough to get in? The group has a water testing kit to check the water quality wherever they are swimming, and they monitor the Thames Water live sewage map. ‘But after all, we are wild swimmers, so if anyone’s worried, they just keep their head above water!
‘It’s about people connecting with nature a bit more and the simple things in life. Noticing what is naturally around us in London, like our rivers. It’s wonderful.’
Pippa Duncan
thebluetits.co
Facebook: Teddington Bluetits
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Image: Courtesy of Marlene Lawrence