Pembrokeshire’s love affair with cold water dipping continues to go from strength to strength, with some embracing it to boost their wellbeing and mental health, whilst others participate to raise money for worthy causes. Some have even taken their love affair further afield to go up against gold medal winning winter swimmers in Slovenia!

Whatever your reasons are, another benefit of cold water dipping is that it’s free, and with Pembrokeshire surrounded knee-deep in suitable spots, it’s no wonder that The Bluetits Chill Swimmers, whose foundation in 2014 in St Davids marked the beginning of a global movement of cold-water swimmers and dippers that now has over 100,000 members!

This week Bluetits founder Sian Richardson was named as number 12 in the BBC Woman’s Hour Power List 2023: Women in Sport.

The ‘Women in Sport’ list honours 30 outstanding British women in sport who are making an impact – both on and off the field.

Those on the list range from remarkable athletes to grassroots heroes, visionary leaders to game-changing policymakers. The public were invited to nominate people for recognition on the list.

The Power List was announced on Tuesday (March 28) on BBC Radio 4's Woman’s Hour by presenter Nuala McGovern alongside the Chair of Judges - broadcaster Jessica Creighton, and World Cup winning cricketer and broadcaster Ebony Rainford-Brent.

Fifty-eight year-old Sian, who hails from St Davids, was honoured in the grassroots category for her work founding and running The Bluetits Chill Swimmers.

The community began after Sian started winter swimming on her local beach at Porthsele wearing just a swimsuit. She had taken up the challenge to help her stay fit and fight pain as she faced two hip replacements.

At the time, a lone winter swimmer – especially one with no wetsuit – was a rare sight. People started asking what she was doing, some of them joined her, and soon The Bluetits Chill Swimmers was born!

Over the years that followed, many people staying on Sian’s Pencarnan Farm campsite came along for a dip, and took the idea back home with them, forming their own Bluetits flocks.

The idea spread far and wide, placing Sian at the heart of a global movement with over 100,000 members in 15 countries.

“I have enjoyed living by the sea all my life and was fortunate enough to be brought up to appreciate all the benefits of being in, on and around open water.

“It would be fair to say I took all of it for granted, that was until I started swimming throughout the winter months in just a swimsuit in 2014,” remarked Sian.

“In 2014 it was unusual to see someone swimming in the sea around Pembs in just a swimming costume, so I had many conversations with people, intrigued by what I was doing, and why on earth I was doing it of course.

“I decided to give it a go because after many years of long distance running and triathlons my body felt broken but I was still in the ‘challenge’ mind frame so decided to give the Ice Mile a go.

“I started training to swim a mile in water that would be under 5 degrees wearing just a swimsuit so initially I was dipping in the sea but as the winter progressed I was seeking out bodies of water that were colder than the sea, which meant finding remote ponds, usually far away from public view.

“As much as I needed to do this for my training I didn’t enjoy it as much as the sea swimming because I was rather enjoying the chats I had with people on the Pembs beaches after my swims.

“I acknowledged I was doing something, which was at the time, extreme, but to those who showed an interest, I would encourage them to join me, and join me they did. I continued to train for my mile, but the sheer joy of dipping with others who had now become regular dippers with me, was so much more fun.

“Three years later I completed my ice mile but by now the challenge mindset had eased and I was very content to meet up with other people for a dip for no other reason than to enjoy their company in and around the water, and revel in the infectious joy these meet-ups generated,” she continued.

Having been a ‘have a go athlete’ for many years in the rather macho world of triathlon, Sian said that she was very aware of how much courage it took to get involved with sporting groups and the absolute dread she felt of making a fool of herself.

“I often allowed myself to feel I was not welcome because I was just there for the fun of the challenge and hadn’t put in the amount of training a ‘proper’ athlete would have done,” she explained.

“I often didn't really know if I would ever finish any event I entered, my mindset was that if I survived without too much disaster then I had a good day.

“So when my husband suggested we call our dipping group The Bluetits it made me smile and I hoped it would make others smile too, and feel that with such a name we surely had to have a sense of humour and see the funny side of life?

“I wanted people to feel able to come along and join us in the outdoors regardless of their swimming/dipping experiences and not fear humiliation because of their size or age.

“I had witnessed how my mental and physical health had benefited from three years of just dipping in cold water with other like minded people and I hoped that anyone and everyone regardless of age, size or gender, would feel welcome enough to come along and enjoy this wonderful sport too.

“Despite the name we were all very conscious of being responsible water users and enjoyed sharing our knowledge of water safety and knowledge a lot of us had from growing up by the sea.

“As a community we grew in numbers and confidence. Bluetit Groups, or flocks as we called them, were started all over the UK and the life changing stories flooded in.

“People who never considered themselves to be capable of involvement in a sporting group were now thriving in their Bluetit community, which led to all round benefits in ‘real life’.

The Bluetits communities grew to such an extent that Sian felt the need to get help with the administration of it all, and so the not for profit The Bluetits Chill Swimmers LTD began in 2021.

The Bluetits provides resources, friendship and support for cold water swimmers. It’s a totally inclusive movement, open to all abilities and genders, and holds regular Bluetits meet-ups and events throughout the year, in addition to regular dips.

Swimming with a Bluetits group makes wild swimming safer, and the group provides safety advice for all members.

The vast majority of Bluetits say that Bluetitting has improved their social life and their physical and mental health.

The Bluetits’ cheerful and instantly recognisable polka dot branding is now a common sight on beaches throughout the UK, with members reporting multiple benefits from ‘Bluetitting.’

The 2023 Bluetits members’ survey revealed:

• 94% of Bluetits say that being part of a Bluetits flock has improved their mental health.

•  71% of Bluetits have experienced new or improved friendships by being part of a flock.

• 86% of Bluetits say that being a Bluetit has a positive effect on their physical health.

• 72% of Bluetits have experienced a stronger sense of community and inclusivity as a result of Bluetitting.

Commenting on her inclusion on the BBC Woman’s Hour Power List, Sian said: “I am honoured that the work we do at The Bluetits has been recognised by my inclusion on this power list. There was no plan to create a worldwide movement back in 2014 when I started The Bluetits.

“I could never have envisioned that the seemingly simple act of encouraging human beings to come together in and around open water would prove to be life-changing for so many.

“It is thanks to the work my team do at Bluetits HQ in Pembrokeshire and the joy and enthusiasm the worldwide Bluetit community spread at every Bluetit swim that I am able to continue to do the work I do,” she continued.

“Being on the Woman’s Hour Power list is thrilling and such an honour. As everyone who knows me knows, I love a stage and a microphone, so I was more than happy to get up on that stage in BBC Old Broadcasting House and accept the honour and talk about The Bluetits.

“We are a community however, a confident, capable community built around our core values of kindness, friendship, inclusivity and encouragement. I would not have been on that stage were it not for the Bluetits community.

“So I accept this honour standing shoulder to shoulder with the people who help and encourage me every day- Bluetits HQ team, my family, Bluetit group admins and every single Bluetit who strips off and extends the Bluetit hand of friendship to others on a daily basis!

Back in January, Sian was among 40 Bluetits and Bluetits supporters who attended the Winter Swimming World Championships held at Lake Bled in Slovenia, where Bluetits swimmers took part in the 25 metre, 50 metre and 100 metre breast-stroke categories, and in the 25 metre relay, swimming in six degrees centigrade water, against gold medal winning winter swimmers.

“We had a fantastic time,” said Sian. “We had people swimming next to champion swimmers a third of their age who were gold medal winners.

“You might come in 15 seconds behind the rest, which is a long time in swimming – it means you’re still swimming when everybody else has finished, but you still get out punch your fist into the air and everyone screams for you. It's an amazing feeling, and it was amazing thing to watch as well.”

Sian now plans to create a Bluetits GB ice swimming team to compete in future competitions.

“You won’t have to compete in time qualifiers to join the team,” she continued.

“More than anything we want people with a big laugh and a big heart, and our entry criteria will be as inclusive as possible. We really enjoy being a team. None of us think we’re competitive until we start looking at our times and thinking that maybe next time we could have someone on the podium!

“This was the first time we’ve ever taken part in anything like this and the courage our swimmers showed was incredible. The atmosphere was wonderful.

“We were rubbing shoulders with international swimmers, and they were supporting us – we’ve definitely got the bug and will be back for more,” she added.

Back closer to home, and Tenby’s Boxing Day Swim along with Saundersfoot’s New Year’s Day Swim are charitable events that just get bigger and better year upon year, with thousands of participants (mostly in fancy dress) braving the chilly waters to raise money

A record 2067 swimmers took to the icy waters and thousands of spectators turned out for the 37th annual Saundersfoot New Year’s Day dip in 2023; whilst Tenby celebrated the 50th anniversary of it’s festive event last year.

The many thousands of swimmers and spectators who have enjoyed the spectacle over the decades in Tenby have helped to raise more than £300,000 for good causes; whilst neighbouring seaside town Sandersfoot now on its 38th event has also raised thousands of pounds for charities down the years.

Tenby’s Mayor and county councillor for the south ward, Sam Skyrme-Blackhall – who is also a year-round sea swimmer - was amongst the event’s brave bathers to take to the North Beach sea on Boxing Day, and during March this year kicked off her own cold water challenge on St David’s Day to raise money for Cancer Research UK, taking to the sea every day of the month.

“Wild water swimming is something I always wanted to do and after being invited by friends to join in last year, it is something I have continued to do all year round since, off North Beach. The health and wellbeing benefits are huge. Why wouldn’t you!” said the Mayor, who has been shown support on most days by friend Karen O'Docherty, and her daughter Nia, taking to the sea together.

Another band of hearty swimmers that can be seen strolling down the sands in Tenby on most days to take a dip include locals - Karen Vickery, Kathy Butler, Sarah Williams, Julie Hurlow, Janina Evans and Carly Odley.

A new initiative being run in the county will provide those curious about joining in with the cold water craze sessions that will take them through elements such as equipment, cold water shock, breathing, what to do in an emergency, environmental factors to name but just a few.

The new and innovative project delivered by The Bluetits Chill Swimmers (in partnership with the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and with funding from Natural Resources Wales) entitled Ein Dŵr has been launched to introduce anyone and everyone to the wonders of our marine environment.

Having started in February, Ein Dŵr is offering residents in Pembrokeshire free introductory cold water sessions, taken by lead Bluetits coach Makala Jones.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be introduced to cold water dipping, learn more about the local marine environment and how it can positively impact you, whilst coming away with a wealth of knowledge and have lots of fun while you do it!

The sessions are open to everyone, and will be running throughout 2023.

Each weekly session will last 60-minutes and will include an instructional talk, a quick dip in the water, followed by social time with hot drinks and cake.

Locations may change throughout the year and will be subject to conditions, seasonal factors and participant locations.

“I was thrilled to get the funding for Ein Dŵr because it enables us to share what we all enjoy about being in and around open water in this glorious country of ours to others who have never had the opportunity or encouragement to do so too,” said Sian.

“These sessions are a fantastic introduction to gaining confidence, learning about cold water dipping and a chance to feel the absolute joy that the local marine environment can bring!”

More information of how to get involved can be found on the website: www.thebluetits.co/pages/ein-dwr and on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089042149082

To book a space, email Amy at: [email protected] or call 07506881196.