UK’s biggest sea swim

1,000 wild swimmers prepare to take the plunge for International Women's Day

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Published: March 3, 2025
This Article was written by: Katie Hill - My Green Pod
community, events, oceans, swimming, women

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Cold-water swimmers from across the country are gearing up for an exhilarating dip in the English Channel, breaking last year’s record by doubling the number of swimmers from 500 to 1,000.

In the two weeks after tickets were released, 1,000 women signed up to take part in this extraordinary sea swim, meaning the event is now sold out.

Swimming for women

The Big Swim is the brainchild of Brighton-based adventurer Nicky Chisholm, known locally as ‘PinkNicky.’

This year Nicky is joining forces with outdoor adventure expert Rosie Tanner of Land and Wave in Dorset and charity partner Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

500 swimmers will brave the icy waters in Brighton and, 100 miles west, another 500 will be dipping in Dorset.

‘The Big Swim is your chance to get involved in the UK’s biggest swim – it’s a mini adventure waiting to happen. This event will make your soul sing.’

NICKY CHISHOLM
The Big Swim organiser, Brighton camp

This nationwide event is set to be an unforgettable record-breaking achievement, and testament to the power of community, adventure and female resilience. The perfect event to mark International Women’s Day.

All sea swimmers are welcome; everyone is uniting to celebrate the achievements of women worldwide and promote solidarity through their shared love for the sea.

‘At SAS, we believe that everything we do should be driven by data and science. We seek to represent an accurate picture of the appalling state of our blue spaces and tell it like it is. Facing the facts can be shocking and upsetting. We are not exaggerating when we say our rivers are dying. They are – in front of our eyes. We hope for clean water on Saturday March 8th so that no one will be put off this momentous swim.’

GILES BRISTOW
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) CEO

Supporting gender equality

This year Rosie and Nicky will be asking the 1,000 women to take one action to support, elevate or amplify a woman, campaign or business in their community.

They want the ripple effect from the swim to far outreach the day of The Big Swim. They will be collecting stories of the actions that have been taken.

‘Land & Wave has long been campaigning to get more women working and playing in the outdoors, so we’re delighted to be welcoming a huge Dorset contingent to The Big Swim!’

ROSIE TANNER
The Big Swim organiser, Dorset camp

The IWD sea swim is not exclusively for women; it welcomes everyone who supports the cause of gender equality.

While the event is aimed at celebrating women, it recognises the vital role that allies play in advancing social, economic, cultural and political equality.

Embracing diversity, individuals of all backgrounds are invited to join and contribute to the collective efforts for women’s rights.

This event will be one of thousands taking place across the world to celebrate IWD theme whose theme this year is #AccelerateAction.

Scheduled for the morning of Saturday 08 March, International Women’s Day (Sandbanks at 9.30 and Brighton at 11.30), both events will commence with a warm welcome and an invigorating swim or dip. Participants are encouraged to wear warm and sparkly attire to create a colourful spectacle on the beach.

Celebrating diversity

The vibrant communities of wild swimmers bring together a diverse group ranging from police officers and triathletes to A&E doctors, screenwriters, opera singers, podcasters and even mermaids.

There will be a pre-swim safety briefing and lifeguards on duty during the swim. The Dorset Swim will also feature a special appearance from two RNLI boats, featuring all-female crew to celebrate IWD.

This year, the organisers are proud to welcome their first-ever wheelchair swimmers. These inspiring ambassadors will play a key role in shaping the event’s accessibility initiative, ensuring a more inclusive future for all.