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The Still Human Podcast is for teachers, leaders and school staff navigating the realities of working in education today.
Hosted by Julie Liddell and part of Edwin People's wellbeing and culture offering, this podcast features thoughtful conversations with teachers, principals, psychologists, authors and education leaders exploring what matters most: leadership in schools, staff culture, workload, burnout and sustainability.
Each episode focuses on supporting the people behind the roles, because thriving educational communities start with looking after the humans within them.
Still Human delivers training, workshops and strategic support for staff wellbeing and thriving cultures. Edwin People provide strategic leadership and HR services that help schools and multi-academy trusts grow confidently with people-centred solutions. Both part of the Edwin group, we work together to positively impact the lives of young people.
Learn more at www.stillhuman.co.uk and www.edwinpeople.co.uk
[00:00:00] Welcome to the Still Human Podcast, where we dive deep into the heart of staff wellbeing within the education sector. In each episode, we bring to the table a diverse array of guests, including experienced teachers and leaders, experts in psychology, health and wellbeing, as well as thought leaders in the sector.
[00:00:19] Whether you are looking for practical tips, inspirational stories, or innovative approaches to [00:00:25] wellbeing, our podcast aims to support, inspire, and empower those dedicated. To nurturing the next generation. I am your host, Tracy White, and today I'm chatting to Pete Kelly. Pete is an author, swim guide and lifelong outdoorsman based in the Lake District.
[00:00:42] Along with his lovely wife Andrea, he pioneered adventure swimming in the Lake District through this Swim The Lakes Business. Swim the [00:00:50] Lakes was established in 2005 and offers guided wild swimming trips and courses in the lakes. Peter is the author of Wild Swimming Walks Lake District and contributes many articles relating to outdoor swimming, both in print and online.
[00:01:05] At the swimthelakes.co.uk He's featured on TV programs, including Country File and Secret Britain extolling the virtues of all mortar [00:01:15] swimming. He is seldom dry and lives to be or in the water. In this episode, we explore the benefits of being out in nature on your wellbeing, whether it's dipping in wild waters, hiking up mountains, or just taking a few.
[00:01:30] Minutes to step outside and breathe. We learn about the importance of fitting your own oxygen mask first and how there is nothing better to bring your [00:01:40] attention to the present moment than being up to your bits in cold water.
[00:01:48] Hi Pete. So lovely to have you here today. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Thanks, Tracy. It's always a pleasure to talk to you and thanks for having me on. Brilliant. Well, let's just dive straight in. So, Pete, you are a passionate outdoors man. Let's start with [00:02:05] how you found the love for adventure and for being outdoors.
[00:02:09] Uh, well I didn't, I didn't have much of a choice really because of my parents. They were really avid outdoors people, right from the off, I mean, my first, I, some of my first memories of being hiked up. Achieve it in a backpack with my dad. You know? And that was just normal life for us. My dad and my mom were very keen bird watchers, uh, fishermen and [00:02:30] women, and they were just, we were just always outside.
[00:02:33] My granddad had a place up in Northumberland and every weekend and every holiday, that's all I can remember when I was younger, was just. Bombing up to Northumberland to go either romp around the deviates with my mom and dad or, uh, usually along the coastline there, you know, during the summer we just spent our lives in the sea on the coast, uh, no matter what the weather, just in our underpants on or nothing at all, you know.
[00:02:54] So it was [00:02:55] a real wild upbringing. The thing I thank them most for really is that upbringing, because it was so varied, it was so diverse, and we went to places where, you know, no one else and no has ever been there. And I still go back and seek them out Now as an adult, you know, there were such special places and, um, I don't think I, I was unique in not giving me such a love for, of her environment.
[00:03:18] I think anyone exposed [00:03:20] to that from that age would have, you couldn't help but fall in love with it. You know? It was so special at the time. And this was in. The early seventies, the world was an empty place, you know, and you, we used to have the whole beaches to ourselves up there. And, uh, it was always seemed very wild.
[00:03:34] Always just seemed to be our little family unit, which was also quite special. And, uh, we'd always stop for lunches packed lunch. And my dad would always have his little survival kit in a rock sack and we'd get his flas [00:03:45] tea out and, um. We'd have a little pack up, leaning up against some bales of hay. You know, that was norm, the norm for us really.
[00:03:51] So yeah, I've got them to thank for that and it's always been a, a constant part of my life since then, really. Did you always know then that you kind of wanted to follow a career which involved the outdoors or did that come later? I think right from a, an early age, I always wanted to be in the army. And I always wanted to be [00:04:10] not just in the Army, I wanted to be in the SAS, you know, I've always had that kind of interest and I nearly went down that route.
[00:04:15] But, um, my life took different turns and I didn't end up, uh, you know, being in the forces, I think it would've really suited me. But my, my life has also been quite interesting. Without that, I, I just always had that love of adventure and being outside, you know, and, and I always knew I'd end up doing something outdoors.
[00:04:31] I don't know how, I didn't, I didn't know how I'd make it pay [00:04:35] because often jobs in the outdoors don't pay that well. And that's a bit of a catch if you're trying to, uh, get on in life and the, you know, all of the stresses and strains of, of normal life and buying a house and stuff. So it is quite important.
[00:04:48] But I knew I. It would have to be outdoors for me to be, to be happy. I mean, I'd know I, I could have gone into banking at one point, and I know that I would've got paid far more than I'm getting paid now, but I know I wouldn't have [00:05:00] enjoyed it half as much, you know? Yeah. I'm kind of addicted to it, really.
[00:05:03] I, I can't, I'm one on the same. I couldn't not be outdoors on a regular basis. And, uh, I, the way I've engineered my life now, I, I, I really like the seasonality of it and, uh, that's very important to me. I can spend a lot of time out the doors. Thank God. Absolutely. So, as an adventurous swim guide, uh, you must have seen firsthand [00:05:25] how being out in nature, you know, hiking and wild swimming, how it impacts on people's wellbeing.
[00:05:31] So can you tell us about that? Yeah, uh, absolutely. I think it's. This always blows me away. It is something I know I take for granted, and I, I'm always a bit surprised when people don't have an appreciation or, uh, have had experience of being outdoors. Um, because in my, my opinion. We don't go out into nature.
[00:05:48] We are part of nature. [00:05:50] It's if you, if you look into anybody who has ever expressed their opinions on this and they spend a lot of times outdoors, they all say exactly the same thing. There's a famous quote of a, one of my favorite authors, John Muir, famous American, uh, author, an outdoor outdoorsman, and he said he was going out for a walk and then he realized.
[00:06:08] In his head, he, he was actually going in, he wasn't going out. It was, it was his, it was where he belonged. You know, it's where we all belong. And I love that [00:06:15] quote, and I always think of that, and you introduce someone to that and they realize it for the first time. And it's quite an extraordinary thing to watch as a swim guide.
[00:06:24] I'm always looking at people's faces and expressions to gauge their mood to see if they're gonna do anything silly, or if they're, they're uncomfortable in any way, or if they're, they're getting wet. If I'm pushing 'em too far out of their comfort zone. I'll often side look to someone with that thousand yard stare and say, [00:06:40] are you okay?
[00:06:41] And they'll go, yeah. This is just awesome. Or, you know, they're having, obviously having a little moment and they, they, they can't speak or they're almost a little bit emotional. Uh, and it always takes me aback that because I realize that they've never experienced this and there's, there's two emotions that brings out in me.
[00:06:58] I feel a little bit sad for them that they haven't experienced it. Until this part in their life. But I'm also filled with [00:07:05] joy for them because they're experiencing that for the first time, and I'm really delighted to be part of that and to have just facilitated that little moment for them. And I've learned on certain swims, it's usually with blokes, to be honest.
[00:07:17] There's a guy kind of hanging towards the back of the group when we're walking back. I've often ended up, we've often ended up in tears and having man hooks because of the release that the swimming experience has given them because they've been looking after a, a, [00:07:30] a sick family member or, or there's some other stresses in their life.
[00:07:33] Their business is going down the panel or whatever. And this has just given them a moment of clarity and it's a real honor to be part of that. And I don't think it's anything special. That, that we do as a, as do as a person or as a business. And of course we are very nice, but it, what, what's special about it is the environment that we're in, and it's where we belong.
[00:07:53] I really think that, and when we're away from [00:07:55] that, there's often something missing or wrong in your life, whether you realize it or not. Yeah. Um, I see that a lot as a guide and uh, it's one of the massive privileges of the job, so you are really giving them experience of being part of something much bigger on you.
[00:08:10] You know, that they're connecting with something much bigger than just themselves. It's taken them out of that kind of insular feeling [00:08:20] of, you know, being in your own life and maybe being a bit overwhelmed with. The pressures of life. And, and then you take them out into this environment, which is so beautiful and so surreal sometimes, and you give them a moment to stop and pause and think of, you know, themselves as part of a much bigger thing and, and.
[00:08:43] I know I've had that exact [00:08:45] experience being out in nature and being out in the water and it's, it's really humbling actually. It's really humbling feeling. It's gorgeous. I love that what you said. Uh, we don't go out into nature. We are part of nature, but thinking about our listeners, you know, life can be really pretty full on for staff in education and it's well known that many of [00:09:10] our, uh, educators suffer from high levels of stress.
[00:09:13] Um, and they kinda live in this high stress state most days. How can spending time outdoors help to actually reduce stress? Okay, that's a very good question. But underpinning that I think is an understanding that. Living in that stressful kind of environment. And I know it's hard to avoid sometimes.
[00:09:34] Believe me, I've, I've [00:09:35] been there myself with my own business in the early days when we were really struggling to get going. But what you've gotta understand, I think, is that living like that is unsustainable. And, uh, again, being an outdoor person, I always, i, I always look at things kind of from a risk assessment and what would, what's the worst case scenario?
[00:09:53] And is this, what can I equate this to? And to me, I equate it to like a survival situation. And what you always do in a [00:10:00] survival situation, the priority number one is sorting yourself out first before you, uh, go and help anyone else. That's, that's an obvious thing to do. So do what the flight attendant says.
[00:10:11] Reach for your oxygen mask first before you try and even think about looking after everyone else. And I see there's a real analogy, uh, between that and, and living in a stressful environment if you're not gonna look after yourself. There's no way you're gonna be able to help anyone else, and you're [00:10:25] gonna, it's certainly gonna compromise what you're trying to achieve.
[00:10:27] And if you, I understand if you're working in that kind of stressful environment, you're ob it's obviously a calling and you feel very strongly about doing that. Uh, and I understand that, but. You ain't gonna be doing anyone any favors if you are, uh, unable to, to work or progress or deal with people in the right manner because you are stressed a bit.
[00:10:45] You know, you really need to find a, find a way around it. It's hard when you've got [00:10:50] such a busy lifestyle, and I understand that more. As I get older and I've got a family and I've got a business to run, you really have to find the time to do it. But it's important to make it part of your schedule, and I think once you do that, you'll not look back.
[00:11:03] I mean, no matter how small it is, you have to do it for your own sake. Really. If you're stressed for all of your life, you ain't gonna last long. Your life's gonna be shortened. You're not gonna work as well. It's gonna impact your family life [00:11:15] and they're far too important, um, to put at risk, in my opinion, put yourself first for once.
[00:11:20] Everyone else will reap the benefits from that, and that is the exact message that we tell to educate us all the time. You know, we even use that phrase about putting your oxygen mask on first and Yeah. Yeah, we do. You call and pull from an empty cup, you know? So, uh, we're very much great minds, Tracy.
[00:11:37] Great minds. Absolutely. But what [00:11:40] is it do you think about being out in nature that impacts on stress? We know it's important to do it. You know, we, we could just say, you know, go at the gym and thrash out an hours in the gym, and we know that'll give you endorphines and we know that'll lower your cortisol levels.
[00:11:57] What is it about the, the being outside. What do you think it is? Coming back to what I [00:12:05] said at the beginning of our chat, it's where we belong. We're not going anywhere. We're going back to where we belong, in my opinion. Alright, so it's like going, it's like going home and if you haven't experienced that, it's such a relief to be out there.
[00:12:19] I mean, I, I know you, you're a keen outdoors woman as well. I don't know scientifically that the reason, although I, I, you know, I could, I've got a, a, a fairly good understanding of that, but you don't need to prove anything. If you [00:12:30] take someone up the side of a fell and get 'em to look out over Lake Windermere or if you're swim around into, in the middle of a remote town and get to look around and just appreciate the surroundings, they'll not need any proof.
[00:12:41] They'll know that they're feeling better. You, you know, you're putting the state yourself, and I'm not sure of the, the mechanism behind that. But with respect to swimming, we know it's been kind of fairly well documented that, uh, being outdoors and [00:12:55] exercising, uh, is really good for you. I'm not quite sure.
[00:12:58] Um, you know, the difference between being working out inside and working out, uh, working out, um, outside is. It's a very different experience, just purely because of your perception of where you are. I think then there was an interesting recent study done, um, by an EU funded organization that were looking into, uh, swimming in what they called blue spaces.[00:13:20]
[00:13:20] So what we've just called outdoor wild swimming as opposed to swimming indoors. And one of the biggest things that they found, the biggest differences. They had the social interaction, which was really positive. They had the positive aspect of, uh, the exercise of the swimming, which was good, but it was the sense of achievement that really came out and stood out from, from anything else, all of the other positive benefits, that feeling of autonomy [00:13:45] and being competent enough to do that.
[00:13:48] Especially you say swimming out, swimming outdoors, psychologically is a big thing for some people. 'cause they've gotta overcome whether they, you know, it's gonna be cold for them or they used to, it's an outdoor environment that they might not that be, be that used to. Uh, and there might be lots of little negative thoughts at the back of their mind about what they're doing, uh, but overcoming them and going out into that, that kind of situation.
[00:14:09] It is a [00:14:10] massive achievement for a lot of people, especially the kind of people who are often drawn to open border swimming. They might not be that outdoorsy or they might not be that athletic or even very fit, but they can go out and swim. If they're in, in good company and they do it in a sensible way, all you've gotta do is apply common sense.
[00:14:26] And before you know it, you know, you really do make leaps and bounds with open water swimming, in my opinion, in my experience and opinion, can, you can make [00:14:35] quite quick improvements and before you know it, you know, you can be fairly competent and out there in the water. And, uh, that sense of achievement, uh, this has been shown in their scientific study, was probably the biggest benefit to, uh, had the biggest benefit to their mental health.
[00:14:50] You know, that feeling of autonomy and confidence is a massive stimulus to anyone's mental health, and that's, that, that connection has been proven and I see that quite a lot as well. And what's [00:15:00] really good about swimming is that it's so accessible. You know, if you, you, you might not even be able to move that well or, or be that athletic, you can still get in the more water and move.
[00:15:10] And, um, movement is medicine in so many different ways. You know, if you, you know, if you, it allows you to move and be about, and, uh, have that, uh, feeling of competence and independence, it's a great boost to your mental health. Absolutely. And, and I know from personal experience when you [00:15:25] walk into cold water.
[00:15:26] You can't think of anything else, so you might be stressed out of your head and you have a million different tabs open in your head. Thinking about all the things you've gotta do and stuff you've gotta get through. The moment you step into cold water, it shuts all of those things down, and all you can concentrate on is the present moment, what you are actually doing.
[00:15:48] And you're right, that [00:15:50] sense of achievement. Stays with you for the rest of the day, doesn't it? That's, that's the kind of cold, what a buzz you get is that you've, you've done it, it's, uh, incredibly lifting experience. Yeah. I mean, if you want, if you wanna be in the present and invo, invert, comm, and, you know, there's not nothing like you saying, like being up to your bases in Goldwater to, to me, and now again, that's a, that's a, a real survival situation, isn't it?
[00:16:12] You, you really hone down and you become [00:16:15] ultra focused in all, you're doing a very simple task and that is very liberating and in its own right. Fantastic. Pete, you recently wrote a book, uh, wild Swim Mors and that brings together swimming and hiking. And what is it about that combination that works so well for people's wellbeing?
[00:16:33] Oh, so many things. I had a, a really wise old uncle, uncle Tom. Anyone's told me he was a bit taken [00:16:40] aback by how much training I was doing at the time 'cause I was a really keen competitive kayaker at the time. And he was, um, reprimanded me a little bit and he said, what you want to do lad, is just stick to walking and swimming and then you'll be fit for the rest of your days.
[00:16:55] And I always remember that. And especially now I'm getting a bit older. I knew, I know what he means. Um, but you can't beat that combination of walking and [00:17:05] swimming. And I pr perhaps I would add yoga into the mix. A bit of, a bit of movement and instruction. But the, those two things are just such a. A lovely way of exercising.
[00:17:14] They're so gentle on your body. The wellness benefits are just off the scale. And if you can combine the two, then you're just saving a load of time. It's just, why wouldn't you wanna combine the two and the works so well together. It's just good use of time, in my opinion. You know, and when I was writing the [00:17:30] book I I, which I loved, I really, I really.
[00:17:32] Discovered how much I love to write as well be out as well as being outdoors because for me it kind of prolonged that experience. This is another good little tip. Reading about outdoor experiences and uh, or guidebooks or maps. I'm obsessed with maps as well, is a real treat and that prolongs that experience, which is quite a good tip.
[00:17:50] I think if you, if you can't have access to the water all the time, we're very lucky in [00:17:55] our situation 'cause we're surrounded by lakes and fells and towns and things like that. And I know not everyone is, but uh, when I can't access that, I'm reading about it or I'm looking at photos about it and it just reminds me what's good.
[00:18:07] Coming back to the book in the Lake District, we are probably unique, I think in the, in the world. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and it's, it's world class for hill walk and an open water swimming. We've got so. [00:18:20] Much on our doorstep. We're incredibly lucky to be here. There's so much there that it's actually relatively easy to link these amazing swims with not just any old walk but classic lake district walks.
[00:18:31] And that I, I thought was a really, it was a great idea for a book and it's something that I really enjoyed. I combined something that I was doing. Already in my business with writing, which became a newfound love. And, um, it [00:18:45] was a, i I, I think I've said this to you before, I would've done it for nothing.
[00:18:48] It's nice that I do get paid for the book, but I enjoy the experience so much. It was a great experience for me. And what's also lovely is I get really good feedback from, uh, people who've enjoyed the warps and discovered that a love of open water swimming through the books, which is another real, uh, thing I'm really pleased about when people realize it's worth getting your swimming kit on.
[00:19:07] While you're on a walk up in a windy [00:19:10] mountainside and it's worth getting your kicks on and getting into the water and having a swim about in some cool little mountain town, um, and they get out and they feel amazing and it really adds to the experience of that swim, then that's something that they're gonna repeat again and again and look for more, uh, opportunities to do that.
[00:19:26] And it does take quite a bit. To do that. You know, when you're up on the Fells and it's called, you've got your nice warm walking kit on, you know, why would you want to get into your [00:19:35] Speedo or your swimming costume? But it really is worth that effort, you know, so, uh, it is countless people when I've had groups out saying, I've walked past here loads of times and I've always wanted to do what you are doing, so just do it.
[00:19:48] It is, there's something holding people back. Uh, and I dunno what it is so mean. Some of these places are, are fairly remote, but if we can, um, encourage people or in inspire them to do that, then [00:20:00] great. You know, we've achieved our mission. To spread. Don't spread the loaf, spread the word of what, uh, Morris Swimming gives.
[00:20:07] And I've found over the years it's much easier to just wear you, uh, swimwear, uh, instead of underwear you see? And then you are always ready. It's a perfect, perfect tip. You're my kind of lady, Cy. So, um. You know, outdoor swimming has become more and [00:20:25] more popular, hasn't it? And uh, a lot of people love the idea of it.
[00:20:29] They love the idea of also getting out into the hills and hiking, but they don't always feel that they might have the time, the energy, uh, or even the confidence to, to start. So what's your best advice for someone who's curious but a bit hesitant because of the time or the energy, you know, or even the confidence?
[00:20:49] Yeah, I [00:20:50] would think for starters, what works for me is great. Cold water, swimming's great, but you've gotta do it sensibly and you can't, it's best not just a bluster into it. So you need some good advice to start off with. Now there's loads out there, uh, and my obvious answer is to say, come and visit us at Swim the Lakes, because that's what we set out to be is the welcome.
[00:21:09] And open face of, uh, open water outdoor swimming. When we first started our [00:21:15] business 20 years ago now, uh, it wasn't such a welcoming place that, you know, it wasn't a big thing and no one was doing it in your local area. You know, we were the only people going out and doing this, and we, uh, had to learn a lot ourselves.
[00:21:27] But the first thing I realized when I went to buy my first wetsuit. Is how unhelpful people were. They weren't exactly welcoming and there wasn't any advice out there. So we thought, well, it's an obvious thing to provide [00:21:40] that it's such a wonderful thing to do. Uh, we've gotta be the friendly face of this, you know, because, um, from.
[00:21:46] Because that's the work, the kind of people we are, but also from a business point of view, there's gotta be loads of people out there who, who wanna learn about this. So right from our beginnings, that's been our, our thrust, you know, is uh, is helping people get into open water swimming 'cause it's so great.
[00:21:59] And we do loads of courses aimed at beginners. And taster sessions so people can try [00:22:05] without too much commitment to, you know, we provide all of the equipment, the wetsuit, the kit they'll need. We take them to a beautiful, safe space. We keep them safe when we swim and we give them loads of advice. So that's what we do as a business.
[00:22:17] And then beyond that, if they want to come and do more with us, then that's great. We, um. We've got loads of guided swimming trips and holidays that we run as part of our business. But a aside from that, if you're, if you've got a person who's more of an independent soul and they [00:22:30] wanna do their own thing, that's also cool.
[00:22:31] We've got loads of advice on our website about doing that as well. If you wanna go do it your own way, but you've gotta buddy up with someone who's relatively competent swimmer or a little bit more knowledgeable than you, just so that you can help yourself along before you start throwing yourself literally in the deep end, because there's so many.
[00:22:49] It is a potential risky place. You've gotta choose your location well, but as long as you, uh, [00:22:55] apply common sense, uh, you swim safe, you avoid tides and currents or moving water of any kind, um, you know, you wear the appropriate kit. Um, you take a, if you're in an exposed area where a toe float, which is like a, a, like a inflatable boil that you take with you to improve your visibility in the water and as long as you use common sense and don't push yourself out, your, your limits too much.
[00:23:19] Initially, [00:23:20] then it's a very easy thing to get involved in and, um, you can make it part of your life if you, you've just gotta create some kind of social scene, whether it's a close buddy of yours, um, whether it's a social media group. If you haven't got anyone who's interested in it at all, and you are the only mad person in the office who wants to go and have a dip in the, in the cold water.
[00:23:40] If you put it out on social media, I can guarantee you'd get a positive response. And then all [00:23:45] you've gotta do is try and arrange a regular time when you can always meet. Then it's part of your life, you know? Then it becomes an important part of your life. That's respect to swimming, but not everyone's always near water.
[00:23:57] But if you've got something to look forward to at the weekend, it's, it really is worth traveling to. I mean, what we've been talking about today is the difference between motor swimming and any other outdoor activity. I've been in, I'm involved in [00:24:10] all kinds of outdoor things. I mountain bike, I kayak, um, you know, I climb, I go fishing.
[00:24:15] I, I do this, that and the other. But swimming is one of my most favorite outdoor activity and I get, probably get the most from it, particularly if I've had enough and I'm a bit stressed. I need to spend a little bit of time on my own. This is just me. I like, 'cause I spend so many, so much of my time with people sometimes.
[00:24:32] When I need to recharge, I just need to be on my own. And I think it's [00:24:35] quite important to have a little bit of solitude. Sometimes I just go away and swim and then I come back a different bloke. You know, I'm completely different. Uh, and I can take on the, the normal stresses and strength of the day 'cause I'm completely recharged.
[00:24:47] So it really is worth doing that. There's so much research out there. Will allow you to slowly become an educated and competent outdoor swimmer. All you gotta do is take the first step and make a little bit of effort to try and [00:25:00] connect with people. Uh, and, uh, before you know it, you'll be loving what you do.
[00:25:04] As I said, we've in, we've introduced probably thousands of people now to open border swimming and, um. Most of them are better swimmers, swimmers than me. Now, you know, they've gone on and done, some of them have gone on and done great things like Swim the Channel or they've done, they've become ice swimmers, competitive ice swimmers with swim, the coolest, uh, water imaginable.
[00:25:23] Or they just, uh, take [00:25:25] their family and they light candles on the shore and they have a nice dip and a picnic. All that is just great for me to hear and I love hearing back from that. 'cause what I've introduced people to or, or what. People have found a way to something that can be really special in their lives, and I would just encourage you just gotta make that first step and, and, uh, make the first move and it'll happen for you.
[00:25:44] That's fantastic advice. A lot, a lot to take in there. A lot of advice on how to, how to get [00:25:50] started if you're interested for busy people, you know, staff and education. Yeah. You don. Tend to have a lot of time for adventures and they don't tend to put their wellbeing high enough on their priority list.
[00:26:04] You know, what are some of the ways that they can bring a bit of outdoors into their daily routine because it's important to recharge. You [00:26:15] talked about going off and recharging, you know, it's important for them to do that. Every day and not just wait until half term, wait until the summer holidays, you know?
[00:26:25] So what kind of, what kind of things can they do? Which would. Benefit them on a daily basis regarding being out in nature. Quite a lot of things. I'm a little bit of an expert at this because I, I, I can't do without this. [00:26:40] So there's been times in my life when I've, when I haven't had easy access, access to the water or, um, or the outdoors.
[00:26:46] I lived in London once. I don't know how I ended up there, but I did. Uh, it was a really interesting experience and it was as. You know, metropolitan as it gets, but to survive. And I, and I, it was surviving. Um, I worked out interesting ways of getting to work that would take me, uh, near the Thames or through [00:27:05] a park or I'd bike over Tower Bridge and then back along the old Dockland so that I could go down to the river and just see the, I'd have a glimpse of the river.
[00:27:13] Just on my way to work. I didn't stop there for any length of time, just a quick look and on I'd go or I'd run through the, um, the bridge that goes under the Thames to get to work on the island of dogs. So I, I think, and I've always had that kind of approach to life. If I could walk the most direct route route to [00:27:30] work along the pavement through past the blocks of flats, I wouldn't take that route.
[00:27:33] I'd go the route that's a little bit longer. But goes through the park or follows the canal, towpath or something like that. You've really gotta look for little chinks in your day that you can grab. And I appreciate most people, you know, they're dealing with their children or, and their work or their, their partners, and it can be very tricky to, to fit in.
[00:27:52] But from a swimming point of view, if you. [00:27:55] Engineer some kind of regular meetup with a, with a buddy no matter where it is. And even if you have to wait until the weekend or the first Saturday and every month, uh, you just have to have one thing to look forward to and that'll really see you through the week or the month or whatever.
[00:28:12] So you've, you know, it's been shown that if you've got, the anticipation is almost as enjoyable as the actual experience. I think it's important to [00:28:20] have that. And if you live near water and you can engineer a regular. Trip to swim there, then all the better. But again, I understand not everyone has that.
[00:28:27] Again, if you, if it's not easy for you and you have to come to a, a business like us to, to do one of our swims, we always welcome people like that with open arms. And you always know you're gonna have a good time and meet other people like you, who would be, who would love a swim buddy to go with on the weekends.
[00:28:42] So that's also a really good place to meet [00:28:45] people and, um, it's another thing that you can look forward to, uh, you know, during your working day. What I also. Say is if you can't go swim and do the next best thing, just get out into, uh, the outdoors. You know, if you can engineer any kind of walk or bike, ride into your commute, do it.
[00:29:03] If you can, and I know this is easier said than done sometimes, but if you can even bike to the train station or the metro station or [00:29:10] whatever, or if you can walk. Another stop that'll take you past a really nice bit of a bit of countryside. Just do it that few minutes and be lifesaving, you know? And that can be your little dose of, uh, outdoors if you like.
[00:29:23] I had two really good, I had lots of really good teachers that I remember, but one in particular, my re teacher, Mr. Villa, he was a legend. He taught us the sermon on the mount on mount. He [00:29:35] took us outta the school. Wow. I mean, it must have been a nightmare for the head. Uh, and I know he had, uh, he, he had issues of his own, but he was a lovely chap.
[00:29:43] Uh, but the, you know, I remember that lesson to this day, it might not always be possible or appropriate to do so, but can you take a lesson outside? Can you engineer it for yourself? Can you make it a regular thing? Possibly not each week, but can you make it a monthly thing? It could become a great thing that, uh, you, that your [00:30:00] pupils, uh, will remember for the rest of their lives, you know?
[00:30:02] And o often it can get the, the attention of people much easier than being in a classroom environment. 'cause then you're taking not just you outside, you're taking the entire class out, which I think is a great idea. And I, I, it made a real impact on me when I was a, when I was a kid, I, I still remember it.
[00:30:19] And I had another, uh, another teacher, Mr. Mackay, physics teacher. I was always very impressed 'cause I was into my training [00:30:25] from a young age, uh, from a competitive, uh, kayaking and swimming. And, uh, he used to run around the, um, the school grounds at lunchtime. Just get your shorts on and just go and do it.
[00:30:35] You know, he used to get heckled by all the students, but he did it. He just was so focused and I was always very singularly impressed with his, uh, dedication. Every day he did it, you know, he also had to kind of underlying health issues. But, you know, he was, uh, a man with a mission [00:30:50] and I was always very, um, I was always very impressed to see him do that.
[00:30:53] Another thing I love to do. I've got lots of ideas now that you've asked me. Um, we love to have, uh, me and my wife, Andrea, we love to go outside and just have lunch outside. Even if it's really cold and we wanna get our warm jackets on and we've got our favorite bench, or we've got a favorite bit of the river, we have to, you know, walk to, to get to and have lunch there, take a flaker tea [00:31:15] and it just transforms the day, you know, and it's much cheaper than eating out, you know, in, in, in a restaurant, anything like that.
[00:31:21] It's, it's so, such a nice thing to do in your day, and it makes a significant impact, I think, certainly in my life. This might seem a bit silly as well. I've got. Little treasures that I keep in my office, and I'm, I'm sure you, I'm sure other people do this. So I've got, um, I've made a little collage in my favorite, uh, shells from, uh, some other [00:31:40] places I swim.
[00:31:41] I've even got a little bottle of my fa sand from my favorite beach in my secret beach in Northumberland that I'm not gonna tell anyone about. Uh, little things like that. Well, when you look at them, you think I'm having a bit of a bad day. I look at those shells or, or my little bit of sand or the a family photograph of us swimming up in a tan during the summer, and I'm transport just momentarily.
[00:32:02] I'm just transported back there, [00:32:05] and it just reminds me of what life's all about. Um, yeah, work's important, but, uh, it's not the be all and end all. We've gotta, uh, have a bit of a balance and that just reminds you what's important in life. You know, another thing I do this is, I think this is the last thing I can think of.
[00:32:21] If I've got a long drive, I did spend a bit of time as a rep and, um, I'm made. A point of stopping for five minutes in a [00:32:30] really nice, if I went past a nice place, even if it was just a little layby, but it was next to a nice little bend in a river or something, I'd just get out and I'd smell the fresh air just to be out in amongst it, you know?
[00:32:41] And again, just these little snapshots in the day. There might just be five minutes, but they would make a significant difference, I think, to your overall mood and your mental health. That's what I do. There's so much good advice there, Pete, and actually lots that our [00:32:55] staff in education can take on board.
[00:32:56] Absolutely. You know, like have it being intentional about finding those moments to be outside and. You know, that can be, like you say, on their way to work or at break time getting out. You know, we do say to our, uh, delegates, you know, getting out and going for a walk at lunchtime, having a stretch looking up at the sky, you know, [00:33:20] feeling the warmth of the sun on your face.
[00:33:22] Just actually being intentional about. Getting those moments into your life is just an immediate boost, isn't it? Um, but I love the idea of, uh, having your, you know, your shells and your sand and all that, and having that in front of you and just being able to. Remember that feeling of sitting, having lunch at the [00:33:45] tunnel, being on the beach, and you know, it just takes a visual image, doesn't it?
[00:33:48] It just takes that little visual to give us that boost, you know, if we can't get outside. So loads of really great advice there. I'm sure our listeners will be able to take something and try and being intentional about getting it into their daily lives. So. Just to, uh, wrap this up, we always end our podcasts, Pete, with [00:34:10] uh, the same questions.
[00:34:11] So in the spirit of compassion, if you were to offer our listeners a suggestion of one kind thing that they can do for themselves today, what would it be? Wow. One kind thing for themselves is, um, make a commitment to meet someone outdoors and do something you've never done before. While [00:34:35] you're doing it, appreciate it and be thankful for it, and let that gratitude wash over you.
[00:34:41] I mean, you could. You could go out into your garden and just see a beautiful flower and you could really bring yourself to tears by appreciating if you haven't got much to work with. Make it something special. But what you've gotta do is make that commitment now. And it's always fun when you're doing it with someone else.
[00:34:56] And, uh, I think you're more likely to follow through with it if [00:35:00] you've kind of put it out there and you're gonna meet someone else and go and try something that you've never tried before. And if you've never tried open water swimming before, make sure it's open water swimming because you'll never regret it.
[00:35:10] Absolutely a hundred percent agree with that. What a gorgeous piece of advice to end our podcast on. It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you, Pete, and really, you know, your passion for being outdoors has [00:35:25] just shone through the whole, the whole time we've spoken. I really hope it has inspired our listeners to get out there, to walk, to feel the sun on the face, to be part of nature, like you said, because.
[00:35:39] We're not going out into nature. We are part of nature. I love that. So, um, yeah, I really, I'm sure it will have inspired people to, to [00:35:50] get out there and to, to feel it. It is an just an immediate feel good factor. That will support their wellbeing and reduce their stress. So thank you so much, Pete. It's been a real pleasure.
[00:36:02] Pleasure. It's been all mine. Tracy, it's been great talking to you as ever.