I came to Alton Water in the spring this year to photograph some of the Inspirational Open Water Swimmers who were taking part in this year’s Great East Swim, the premier open water swimming event held at Alton Waters near Ipswich in Suffolk.
Back in April 2019, just two months before the main event itself I had the pleasure to do some PR photography at Alton Water with this amazing group of people. The shoot was aimed at providing images to help promote the Great East Swim event and to demonstrate that open water swimming is accessible to almost anyone of any any age, even those with body image issues or disabilities.
People like Sylvia Mac (in the yellow swim hat) who is a body positive campaigner. Sylvia is a child burn survivor after having been burned by boiling water when she was aged three. She suffered from sever depression and low self esteem due to her scarring, but in later life was looking for something that she could do and she realised that swimming was a really great therapy for her, so she has now become involved with open water swimming along side her body positive campaigning.
Vicky Malsjo (in the white shirt) has a spinal condition called degenerative disc disease which left her unable to walk for three months. As part of her recovery she started to swim and now uses swimming as therapy to help with her condition.
Stuart Ellis (in the green cap) spent 11 years in the army and then the prison service and was also a retained fireman in Woodbridge. He was also a great sports man and rugby player and after he lost his leg he became involved with Blesma, the limbless veterans charity who introduced him to open water swimming and the Great East Swim in particular. He now enjoys swimming as a sport that he can participate in with his disability.
The takeaway from these Inspirational Open Water Swimmers is that Open Water Swimming is such a diverse sport and nobody will judge you on how you look or how disabled you are….. you should just get involved whether have body image issues or are able bodied or not…you’ll never look back !
