Home » Find Help » Wellbeing Activities » Chill the Mind
Chill the Mind
Cold water swimming course to promote positive wellbeing
Overview:
We’re delighted to announce a new date for our popular cold-water swimming course in collaboration with Chill UK at Bigbury-on-Sea. The weekly sessions in South Devon will start in May 2026, and registrations are now open.
Chill’s mission is to enable and support people to enjoy the many health benefits of cold water immersion and experience the transformative healing power of cold water therapy. Immersion in cold water has been shown to help reduce stress levels, increase daily resilience, and aid positive health and wellbeing.
During the 7-week programme, we will help support participants develop an open water swimming practice they can sustain for themselves into the future, whether independently or with friends old and new, as an ongoing form of self-care and holistic health practice.
Feedback from previous course participants:
100% of attendees would recommend the course to others
Attendees strongly agreed that the course had a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing
Attendees strongly agreed that the course met their expectations and added value to their overall social and emotional wellbeing
When asked for 3 words to best describe their experience, the following words were shared:
positive, exhilarating, fabulous, inspiring, confidence-building, fun, fantastic, challenging, empowering, joy, friendships, invigorating, community, motivating, calming, entertaining, exciting, brilliant, profound, energising, social, inspiring, awesome, life-changing, connection, happy, relaxing, confidence, less anxiety, uplifting
Details:
Friday 29 May — Friday 10 July 2026
Friday 29 May 2026
Friday 5 June 2026
Friday 12 June 2026
Friday 19 June 2026
Friday 26 June 2026
Friday 3 July 2026
Friday 10 July 2026
2 Available Groups
10:00am — 11:00am
11:00am — 12 noon
Bigbury-on-Sea, Kingsbridge TQ7 4BG (map)
Cost: £43.50 per person
Session overview: Welcome team meeting, theory, warm-up and breathwork, safety protocols, acclimatisation, time spent in the water, skills and activities, session reflections, and optional post-swim drink and chat at the beach cafe.
Please note: This course is facilitated by a cold-water swim coach and qualified lifeguard. Both are trained in beach and water safety, first-aid, and aiding swimmers in and out of the water. Devon Mind is subsidising operational costs, however, there is a cost involved for those attending. Places are limited.
Paul Noone — Chill South Devon Course Facilitator
“I am a professional coach and facilitator, working in support of a more sustainable, healthy, and just world.”
Register:
To register for our 7-week course, please sign up with Chill UK via the link below. If you have any questions about this activity, please get in touch with our team: admin@devonmind.com
Thank you to the South Devon Methodist Circuit for their generous fundraising efforts, which have helped make this cohort possible.
Testimonials:
“It has been a challenge to get in the water some weeks, but the group are so friendly and encouraging that we have all taken the plunge! The feeling of achievement afterwards is fantastic! After a swim, I feel invigorated, energised, and happy. It’s also given me the confidence to try new things.”
“A very powerful stress and anxiety reliever, even if only for an hour. Having to focus on the sea, weather, and place gives a few moments of peace and tranquility. This course gave me a reason to leave home and do something I enjoy in a beautiful place.”
“I can’t praise our Chill coach, Paul, enough. His gentle and calming, consistent approach, his warmth, and kindness gave me the confidence to immerse myself in this unique and rewarding experience. I needed a lot of hand-holding! Loic and the other lifeguards were just brilliant.”