(Anna) Kate Rew[1] (born 11 September 1969) is a swimmer, author, journalist and founder of The Outdoor Swimming Society. Rew lives in Somerset.[2]
Kate Rew was born in Devon, England, where she grew up with a deep connection to the natural world. The picturesque landscapes and waterways of Devon played a significant role in shaping her love for outdoor activities, particularly swimming in the River Culm.[3] She attended the University of Oxford.[4]
Rew is best known as a pioneer of the outdoor swimming movement in the United Kingdom. She founded The Outdoor Swimming Society (OSS) in 2006, an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting outdoor swimming in natural waters. Under her leadership, The OSS has grown to become a significant community, inspiring hundreds of thousands to take up outdoor swimming around the world.
Rew's influence extends beyond organizing swims and advocating for outdoor swimming. She is also an accomplished author and journalist. Her book, "Wild Swim," published in 2008, combines personal anecdotes, practical advice, and beautiful illustrations to celebrate the joys and challenges of swimming in natural waters. The book has been highly praised for its inspirational content and its role in popularizing wild swimming, and became a bestseller.
In addition to her books, Rew has written numerous articles for prominent publications, sharing her insights and experiences related to outdoor swimming and the natural environment. Her writing often emphasizes the physical and mental health benefits of swimming in natural settings, as well as the sense of adventure and connection to nature it provides.
Rew's personal philosophy revolves around the belief that swimming in natural waters can be a transformative and enriching experience. She advocates for the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the freedom and exhilaration that comes with swimming in rivers, lakes, and seas, and that swimmers should be responsible for themselves and able to swim freely.
Her work with The Outdoor Swimming Society has not only encouraged people to swim outdoors but also raised awareness about environmental conservation. By promoting responsible and sustainable swimming practices, and partnerships with environmental and social charities, Rew and The OSS contribute to preserving the natural beauty and health of wild swimming spots.
While wild swimming was still being established Rew, using a mix of pro bono agency talent and personal funds, created a free crowd-sourced Wild Swim Map wildswim.com to enable swimmers worldwide to find free places to swim. The map began in 2006 and gathered thousands of swims. She closed the map in 2019 during lockdown because of overcrowding at honeypots.
Rew's contributions to the world of swimming and outdoor activities have earned her recognition and respect within the swimming community and beyond. She is seen as a trailblazer in the wild swimming movement, inspiring a new generation of swimmers to explore and enjoy natural waters.
Free global community
Her legacy is reflected in the thriving community of outdoor swimmers who continue to find joy, health, and a sense of belonging in the waters she so passionately champions. Through her writing, advocacy, and the work of The OSS, Rew has created a lasting impact on the way people engage with the natural world and experience the simple pleasure of swimming.
In 2009 the news and lifestyle periodical Monocle magazine named her as one of its 20 "global heroes who deserve a bigger stage worldwide".[5] . In 2016 she received the Paragon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in California, America for her 'stalwart contributions' to recreational swimming.
Led by Rew, volunteers, writers and photographers contributing to The OSS have created an online source of information and inspiration about swimming that reaches over a million readers a year, and social media platforms that engage 200k.
Working with a lawyer Nathan Willmott, Rew established a 'Swim Responsibility Statement' in 2006 that enabled swimmers to seek other swimmers online without fear of legal liability. This was the foundation piece in a new network of OSS Regional Reps who set up social local swims, and gave rise to the Wild Swim Groups that now populate the UK and shores abroad.
Event director & charity fundraiser
Rew launched the first mass market open water swim in the UK in 2006, a charity swim called Breaststrokes in Windermere which raised money for Cancer Research UK. Breastrokes ran in Windermere and in Serpentine in 2006 and 2007, raising over £250k for the charity, which Rew had a loyalty to as a result of her mother's experiences of breast cancer.
She went on to found and run some of Britain's most iconic swim events the Dart10k 2009, The Bantham Swoosh and the Hurly Burly, inspiring many to start swimming. The events attracted from all over the world. She began a partnership with charity Level Water, which offers swimming lessons to children with disabilities, in 2016, and the events raised millions for the charity before being taken on by them in 2022. She continues to support the charity through The OSS, saying 'The OSS is proud of our substantial and longstanding role in helping this charity level things up, kickstarting a love of swimming in disabled children who might otherwise not have access to it'.
Through The OSS and events she has also mobilised swimmers in support of Surfers Against Sewage, Project Seagrass and Right to Roam.
Right to swim & community advocate
Rew champions the everyday swimmer in her work. Her swim events were a journey not a race, and she is Creative Director of elsewhere, a free OSS monthly journal which platforms the adventures and experiences of regular swimmers around the world.
She has written and appeared in short films such as Chasing The Sublime to share her philosophy that 'there is always fear on a swim, of discomfort and risk' but that it is through this the sublime is reached. Chasing The Sublime appeared on Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul Sunday.
In the UK, Rew is vocal on the need for a greater legal access to reservoirs and other bodies of water through her work on 'Right to Swim', and together with the OSS Inland Access Group and Sheffield Outdoor Plungers (SOUP), she started a Kinder Swim Trespass in 2022 which has grown into an annual and now nationwide fixture. With a view to making swimming more accessible in urban environments worldwide, she is a founding partner of the Swimmable Cities network.
Before Rew became synonymous with the outdoor swimming movement, she had a notable career in journalism. Here's a brief overview of her early career:
1. Education:
- Rew studied Philosophy & Psychology at Oxford University (1988-1992) where she also rowed for OUWBC, earning a Rowing Blue in 1990. Her academic background in philosophy and psychology likely honed her writing and analysis skills and fostered a deep appreciation for personal freedom.
2. Journalistic work:
- Rew worked as a journalist for over a decade on several prominent publications. One of the first dedicated Health Editors (on Good Housekeeping magazine) she went on to be a successful freelance journalist. Her articles appeared in well-regarded outlets such as The Guardian,[6] The Times, Evening Standard, Grazia, ELLE and The Sunday Times.[7]
- Her journalistic work often focused on health, self, travel, fitness and outdoor activities, reflecting her passion for nature and well-being.
- Her story on swimming through the Arizona Desert was part of The Economist’s 1843 Magazine Travel Media Award win in 2019.
3. Writing style and themes:
- Rew's writing was characterized by a clear, engaging style and an ability to connect with readers on a personal level.
- She explored themes related to the natural world, human experiences, and the benefits of outdoor activities, laying the groundwork for her future endeavors in promoting outdoor swimming.
While her early career in journalism was successful, Rew's personal experiences and love for nature eventually led her to the world of outdoor swimming. Her transition from journalist to advocate for wild swimming was marked by:
- Personal Passion: Rew's own experiences swimming in natural waters inspired her to share the joys and benefits of outdoor swimming with a broader audience.
- Founding the Outdoor Swimming Society: In 2006, leveraging her skills and network from her journalism career, Rew founded The Outdoor Swimming Society, which has since grown into a significant community for enthusiasts of wild swimming.
Rew's early career in journalism provided her with the tools and platform to effectively communicate her passion for outdoor swimming, ultimately leading her to become a leading figure in the movement. Her first book "Wild Swim" (Guardian Books, 2008) was created with photographer Dominick Tyler and became a bestseller. Her second book, The Outdoor Swimmers' Handbook (Rider, 2022), was well received as a new bible for swimmers. Robert Macfarlane called it 'A really important, inspiring book, written by someone at the heart of the outdoor swimming movement that -- over the last fifteen years -- has encouraged millions of people to experience the wonders and friendships of Britain's rivers, lakes and seas. Rew's book combines hard-won, deeply researched information on how to swim safely and joyfully out-of-doors, with vivid first-hand accounts of swims in astonishing places and with remarkable people.' Rew has featured in several TV and radio documentaries, including an episode of BBC Radio 4 programme Wilderness journeys,[8] The Diving Venus[9] and three episodes of Coast on BBC TV.[10]