Latest news with #Bluetits
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Guernsey 'floating voters' want education and housing prioritised
With under a week to go until Guernsey's general election, we spoke to some literal floating voters swimming at Havelet Bay to find out their priorities ahead of the poll. Members of the Bluetits swimming group said they wanted to see education and housing prioritised in the next assembly. Yvonne Elliot said she did not believe education had "improved anything" in the last term. Janine Le Cras agreed: "They've made a complete mess of education." During the last term, the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) managed to get States approval for its plans for three secondary schools and a seperate post-16 campus. However, it came under fire for a decision to temporarily move the Sixth Form Centre to La Mare De Carteret High School. ESC has also faced criticism from politicians after poor results in GCSE maths. Despite this, a number of the island's schools have received positive Ofsted reports in recent months, following heavily critical inspections of St Sampson's High School and Les Voies this term. After a swim at Havelet Bay and before a bean jar - a popular local dish - on land Janine said: "I used to work in education, in IT. "It really worries me the way the private colleges appear to be marginalised and demonised, as they're doing a lot for the community."One of the last decisions made by this States was to ensure private colleges received States funding in future after an attempt by ESC to withdraw their grant. Politicians agreed to replace the lump sum with a per-student grant system - so, if the colleges take fewer in the future, they would receive less Le Cras said: "If you can't afford to send your child to the colleges, I think the opportunities are limited and, quite frankly, scary." After swimming to a bobber in the bay, Linda Falla said her top election issue was housing. She said: "We can't get enough people to work here and we need people to come in, in specialised jobs."We need housing for young people to stop them leaving the island, because they're our future."Housing the island's young people was also top priority for Yvonne, alongside Janine, who said: "I have two children - one is living in the UK because of her work, one is living here; he lives with me in a wing of my house, which, thankfully, is a self-contained flat. "I have no idea how he'd find somewhere to live, as he wouldn't be able to afford it."There's no affordable renting, there's no affordable buying for local. You have to be in a really high-paying job to be able to afford to buy a house, and that needs to change or we are going to lose our heritage."According to the latest States figures the average cost of a local market property was £580,412, while, to rent, its £2,068 a month. Post-swim, in the warm at Fishy Tales, the conversation moved from election priorities to the election itself, as frustration built at the island's electoral system."I'm feeling confused, there's a awful lot to choose from," commented Janine. The 2025 poll will be the second time the election has been fought on a fully island-wide basis after a referendum in 2018, which resulted in the current system of 38 deputies being elected in an island-wide constituency. There was agreement by the swimmers that the system made it harder to decide who to vote has been looking through her copy of an almost 300 page manifesto booklet: "It's very difficult, there's too many to choose from. "Like most people, I am going through, crossing off the ones I know I won't vote for. I have a big 'maybe' list and a short definite list."Ms Le Cras expressed some cynicism at the entire process: "An awful lot are singing from the same hymn sheet, and I'm not sure they believe what they're saying, just what they think people want to hear. "It makes choosing candidates very difficult. I'm wading my way through the manifestos at the moment, crossing out the definite ones, yes, by a few. "I don't think I'll be using all of my votes, as I frankly don't think some candidates are suitable."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pembrokeshire women to make history with swim across Celtic Sea
A team of Pembrokeshire women is looking to make history as the first all-female relay to swim from Ireland to Wales. Last June, the Bluetits Chill Swimmers channel relay team swam across the English Channel in an impressive 17 hours and 24 minutes. After completing the swim, Bluetits founder Sian Richardson vowed never to do anything like it again. 'Channel swimming is not a glamorous sport,' she said after the event. "It was very rough and ready. 'When I finished I said the words 'thank you very much, that was amazing but never again'.' Four days after completing the epic challenge, Sian found herself 'waist deep in the Google' searching for channels that women have never swum before. 'I found one,' said Sian. 'Six months on the boat is booked and this August myself and five other like-minded people who find it impossible to say no to a challenge are swimming this channel. It's a bigger one, and it's scary.' The team of six includes Bluetit 1 Channel Relay veterans Makala Jones, Laura Voller, Eva McManus and Sian Richardson as well as newbies Elspeth Lewis and Fiona Coombs from Brecon. (Image: Ella Richardson Photography) Sian's daughter, Jemeima Richardson, who was also part of the English Channel team will be on hand to support the swimmers. The Stellar Titan Bluetits team will attempt a world-first all female relay swim across the Celtic Sea — a 52-mile open water challenge from the coast of Ireland to Pembrokeshire. The swimmers are undertaking the challenge not only to test their endurance and teamwork, but also to raise vital funds to support the continued growth and sustainability of the Bluetits Chill Swimmers. 'This sea is where I was born, where I grew up, and where I still swim,' said Sian. 'The Celtic Sea is part of who I am. This swim is about coming home — from one wild coast to another — and it's also about keeping the Bluetits community alive for future generations of swimmers.' The Bluetits began in 2014 as a small local group taking dips in the cold waters off the Pembrokeshire coast. It has since become an international movement of over 100,000 people with flocks around the world, offering connection, empowerment, and wellbeing through wild swimming. The team is being sponsored by Pembrokeshire company Castle Hot Tubs and is looking for other companies to come on board and support them. In turn they aim to raise funds that will help the not-for-profit grassroots Bluetits CIC organisation continue to support the worldwide flocks, run events, and provide resources to new and existing members. 'This is a swim of adventure, of purpose, and of passion,' said Sian. 'We're doing it for every Bluetit who has ever taken that first brave plunge and found a community waiting with open arms.' For more information and to sponsor the Stellar Titan Bluetits team, visit linked above.
ABC News
06-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Evidence yet to back up claimed benefits of cold water therapy
Every week in the UK, thousands of mostly middle-aged women take the plunge into freezing cold seawater. Members of the "Bluetits Chill Swimmers" say the initiative has drastically improved their lives, but the jury is still out on the benefits of cold water immersion (CWI). From ice baths to cold showers, the claimed benefits of CWI are prolific; a strengthened immune system, anti-inflammatory effects, mood boosts and improved sleep, among others. But experts say there is more evidence for the harmful nature of CWI than its benefits — the nature of which remains "speculative" and "anecdotal". Claims made lack quality evidence, research In a paper published earlier this year, a group of researchers from the University of South Australia sought to answer the question of whether science supports the cold water fad. Given that the benefits of CWI are increasingly marketed to the public, they looked for studies on the general population (rather than elite athletes). Photo shows A stylised graphic with three silhouettes of unidentified a female footballer, tennis player, basketballer ABC Sport and Deakin University have partnered to produce the first ABC Elite Athletes in Australian Women's Sport Survey. They found just 11 papers considered "quality" enough to include, with a range of conflicting findings. Researchers were unable to find any evidence of mood improvements, but some evidence for decreased stress levels (albeit only 12 hours after CWI). They likewise failed to find any evidence of a positive impact on immune function. But in a quirky finding, one of the 11 studies concluded that those who underwent CWI had a 29 per cent reduction in sickness absence. There was a twist, however: while this group took less leave from work, they reported being ill for the same number of days as other participants. Tara Cain, a research assistant and lead author on the project, admits this is difficult to interpret. "It could be that they had better resilience or willingness to push through, just based on their involvement in the trial," she said. Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen in an ice bath. ( Mark Thompson: Getty Images ) "We don't want being part of a study to affect how people act in their general life, but they could have wanted to make the effort to keep going to work, even if they were sick." The research team also found some evidence of improvements to sleep quality when CWI was combined with heat training, as well as self-reported quality of life measures, but Ms Cain cautions against drawing too much from their analysis. There was no consensus among the papers, for example, on the method of CWI (e.g. ice baths vs cold showers), duration of CWI or cold water temperature, while only one study included female participants. "I think the overarching message from this study is that there's such limited evidence out there that needs to be explored more to apply to the general population," Ms Cain said. "Most of the information that's out there on social media is word of mouth, and anecdotal evidence. " A lot of [beneficial] claims made don't have that evidence-based research. " Just one 'proven' positive impact of cold water immersion Mike Tipton, a cold water expert from the University of Portsmouth in the UK, agrees there is little evidence to support the "positive" impacts of CWI. In fact, Professor Tipton is comfortable claiming just one "evidence-based" benefit of CWI: "perceived mental health benefits", as illustrated in the example of the Bluetits. The Bluetits Chill Swimmers are a popular group in the UK. ( Supplied: Bluetits Chill Swimmers ) "I've had some of the Bluetits ladies come up to me in tears telling me how this has changed their life, how they used to have mental health problems and don't have them anymore," he said. "The problem with that is that the evidence is anecdotal. Anecdotal evidence is still evidence, but it's the weakest form. "It's fine if that's what they want to do: I'm definitely not the fun police … but I want to make sure that I give them information to make sure they can do it as safely as possible. "And as a scientist, I want to understand: what is the mechanism [that produces the effect]?" Unfortunately, Professor Tipton says, there is much more evidence for how dangerous CWI is (than how beneficial). As he explains it, human beings are "tropical" animals who ideally want to exist naked, in 26-28 degree air. Taking that animal and plunging it into cold water (which he defines as 15 degrees Celsius or lower) induces a state of physiological stress termed "cold water shock". A lot of evidence around cold water immersion is anecdotal. ( Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images ) At worst, cold water shock is a precursor to drowning and cardiac arrest. As a standard occurrence, it will produce an acute inflammatory response. "The body responds with a 'fight or flight' response driven by the sympathetic nervous system … [because] as far as it's concerned, it's under attack," Professor Tipton said. 'Habituation' to cold water could help with other stressors As dangerous as cold water shock can be, it's also what might drive the potential "benefits" of CWI. Repeated exposure to cold water, Professor Tipton explains, might "habituate" the body to this type of inflammatory stress response, with potential future benefits. "Habituation is a decreased response to repeated stimuli… and a reduction in the alerting response that you get," he said. Most people will have their "worst" reaction to an ice bath the second time they try it — because they're well aware of how cold it's going to be. England footballers Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze in an ice bath. ( The FA via Getty: Naomi Baker ) "After that, their 'stress' response will start to decline to the point where it's generally halved with about six three-minute immersions," Professor Tipton said. Theoretically, he adds, CWI could be beneficial if the body learns to adapt this habituation response to other types of stress. "At a cellular level, it may make you more resilient to stressors that evoke those kinds of responses," he said. At present, however, he can point to only one study that lends weight to this theory. His team conducted an experiment where they looked at people's responses to training at altitude. They split participants into two groups, with both exercising in an altitude chamber. One group then did repeated warm water immersions, and the other did cold water immersions. The cold water group performed much better in the second altitude training session than the warm water group. Participants in Toronto's "Polar Bear Dip" where the water temperature is about 3 degrees Celsius. ( Julia Cherkasova: Getty Images ) "So the hypothesis is that the benefit that comes from cold water immersion is that physiologically you can habituate to stress. You become less responsive to those stressors, and maybe that generalises to other stressors." As promising as the "habituation" theory may be, Professor Tipton warns that the evidence base is still largely "speculative". Effects of cold water immersion could be 'placebo' It's also possible that CWI could be subject to placebo effects. Professor Tipton references a study from 2023 that looked at whether athletes who underwent CWI after a soccer match would see improvements in their recovery outcomes. The athletes were split into three groups. One group underwent CWI, one group simply rested, and one was given a placebo: a drink they were told had been shown to reduce inflammation and improve muscle recovery. Both the CWI and placebo groups showed improvements in recovery over the "rest" group, suggesting CWI may be no better than placebo (but still produces an effect). According to Professor Tipton, the question of whether CWI is better than other forms of "active" recovery (such as walking, or yoga) is also unanswered. As he puts it, this is the problem with most claims on the "benefits" of CWI: we still don't understand the "mechanism" behind its positive effects. Going back to the anecdotal claims of the Bluetits Chill Swimmers, Professor Tipton argues there are many beneficial factors at play: "Nobody has really done properly controlled studies to isolate the active ingredient in the experience of going for a dip… is [the benefit] coming from green therapy, blue therapy, exercise, meeting people, having cake and coffee, or all and any of those?"
Pembrokeshire Herald
01-05-2025
- General
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Police appeal to find Daniel, 32, from Pembroke Dock
A MAJOR environmental protest is set to take place in Broad Haven (north) on Friday, May 17, as part of a national campaign against sewage pollution in UK waters. The event, known as the Paddle Out Protest, is being organised by local representatives of the charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and will serve as the flagship demonstration for Wales this year. Campaigners are calling on all ocean, river, and lake users to take part in the peaceful protest, which aims to highlight the growing problem of sewage discharges at popular bathing spots across Pembrokeshire. Local organisers Ella Staden, Kate Beardsmore, Lloyd Nelmes, Kate J, and Kate Evans have planned a full day of activities centred around Broad Haven beach. The day will begin at 12:00pm with placard-making and creative sessions at Sunshine Italian (now rebranded as Rwts) on the seafront. A community beach clean will follow at 1:30pm. At 2:30pm, participants will take part in the main event — a mass paddle out into the ocean — led by a member of the national Surfers Against Sewage team. Before the paddle out, speeches will be given by Sian Richardson, founder of the global Bluetits cold-water swimming movement, and Sue Burton, Pembrokeshire's Marine Special Area of Conservation Officer. The day will conclude with an after-party at Rwts starting at 4:00pm. Those who joined the protest will be offered discounts, with live music from 5:00pm, a DJ set from 6:00pm, and food and drink including BBQ, pizza, and local refreshments available throughout the evening. Ella Staden, SAS regional representative, said: 'It's important that the community comes together to show support for a charity that is fighting extremely hard to protect our oceans and make sure our Blue Flag beaches remain a safe place to surf and bathe. 'A lot of people in Pembrokeshire have been impacted by sewage overspills — whether that's falling ill, being unable to enjoy water activities, or simply not being able to take our families to the beach. 'We urge every single person who cares about the water to come and get involved, as this is a great opportunity to make it crystal clear to the government that we won't stand for it anymore.' More details can be found on Facebook by searching for 'Paddle Out Protest Broad Haven'.
Pembrokeshire Herald
01-05-2025
- General
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Paddle Out protest returns to Broad Haven to highlight sewage pollution
A MAJOR environmental protest is set to take place in Broad Haven (north) on Friday, May 17, as part of a national campaign against sewage pollution in UK waters. The event, known as the Paddle Out Protest, is being organised by local representatives of the charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and will serve as the flagship demonstration for Wales this year. Campaigners are calling on all ocean, river, and lake users to take part in the peaceful protest, which aims to highlight the growing problem of sewage discharges at popular bathing spots across Pembrokeshire. Local organisers Ella Staden, Kate Beardsmore, Lloyd Nelmes, Kate J, and Kate Evans have planned a full day of activities centred around Broad Haven beach. The day will begin at 12:00pm with placard-making and creative sessions at Sunshine Italian (now rebranded as Rwts) on the seafront. A community beach clean will follow at 1:30pm. At 2:30pm, participants will take part in the main event — a mass paddle out into the ocean — led by a member of the national Surfers Against Sewage team. Before the paddle out, speeches will be given by Sian Richardson, founder of the global Bluetits cold-water swimming movement, and Sue Burton, Pembrokeshire's Marine Special Area of Conservation Officer. The day will conclude with an after-party at Rwts starting at 4:00pm. Those who joined the protest will be offered discounts, with live music from 5:00pm, a DJ set from 6:00pm, and food and drink including BBQ, pizza, and local refreshments available throughout the evening. Ella Staden, SAS regional representative, said: 'It's important that the community comes together to show support for a charity that is fighting extremely hard to protect our oceans and make sure our Blue Flag beaches remain a safe place to surf and bathe. 'A lot of people in Pembrokeshire have been impacted by sewage overspills — whether that's falling ill, being unable to enjoy water activities, or simply not being able to take our families to the beach. 'We urge every single person who cares about the water to come and get involved, as this is a great opportunity to make it crystal clear to the government that we won't stand for it anymore.' More details can be found on Facebook by searching for 'Paddle Out Protest Broad Haven'.
