Forum Talk: The Ripple Effect: Male Representation, Wellbeing, and Communities in Outdoor Swimming
Speaker: Gilly McArthur, Cold Water Swim Coach / Mental Health Advocate / Presenter
Speaker: Jonathan Cowie, Contributing Editor, Outdoor Swimmer Magazine
Abstract: In the past four years, the participation and media representation surrounding outdoor swimming have risen significantly (Outdoor Swimmer, 2024). However, outdoor swimming can often be portrayed as female-dominant activities – generating important questions about male participation.
Sadly, male suicide represents around 75% of suicides in the UK – with suicide the biggest killer of men under 50 – and Cumbria being higher than the UK average (ONS, 2023). With more people turning to different waters to improve their physical and mental well-being, it’s vital to redress this balance, showing men can and do swim, too. This talk reflects on an unfunded charitable project undertaken in January 2022, led by myself and male swim coach, Jonathan Cowie. The project raised money for a mental health charity, swimming every day with different men in January from across the north of the UK, documenting their stories on Instagram about how their mental health impacted them physically and emotionally.
At the end of the project, we set up a local swim group at Windermere called the ‘Blue Mind Men’. The group is entering its third year of swimming together, meeting every Sunday. There are around 50 active members, with people travelling across the UK to join our ‘Sunday Service’. Members have also formed other social groups and are active in, on, and off the water (e.g. climbing, quiz nights, social evenings, and citizen science on the lake). The group also won a mental health community award in 2023 and has even seen Local MPs and freshwater scientists join for a Sunday swim. Alongside this local impact, these stories have generated a global reach – shared in presentations to commercial organisations, charities, and brands alongside different films, magazines, podcasts, books, social media, and online outputs. We are immensely proud of the project, those who participated, and the evolution of the Blue Mind Men. But there is still a long way to go.
