[OSS Oxon] OSS Silent Swim, Saturday 17th July/ few volunteers needed

Wed Jul 14 23:04:15 BST 2010

Let Kate confirm, but I believe it is here

http://www.multimap.com/s/PF0CoXV9 if it is not clear it's on the WEST bank of the Thames (there is no quick way round if you get it wrong!)

This is private land (Radley College's Boat House is here) but we have had permission thanks to Angus McChesney, to park here down by the river bank. It's a 2 minute drive from the station (or 10 minute walk). 

As I say, let Kate confirm/deny.

________________________________

From: Patrick Taylor [mailto:patrickjohntaylor at tiscali.co.uk]
Sent: Wed 7/14/2010 21:29
To: 'Julie Osborne'; 'Kate Rew'; ossoxon at earth.li
Cc: 'Sefryn Penrose'; James Lowe; t.warr at brookes.ac.uk
Subject: RE: [OSS Oxon] OSS Silent Swim,Saturday 17th July/ few volunteers needed

Hi
What's the meeting point?
I've registered but not yet had any details...  maybe they've not been sent out yet?
Cheers
Patrick

________________________________

From: ossoxon-bounces at earth.li [mailto:ossoxon-bounces at earth.li] On Behalf Of Julie Osborne
Sent: 14 July 2010 14:11
To: Kate Rew; ossoxon at earth.li
Cc: Sefryn Penrose; James Lowe; t.warr at brookes.ac.uk
Subject: Re: [OSS Oxon] OSS Silent Swim,Saturday 17th July/ few volunteers needed

Hi Kate
I can volunteer for some activities, but sorry I can't get there for 7am.  I can get there for 8am and can do the smiling/swim/look after bags/brekkie stuff/tidying-up type of things - and ideally get a bit of a swim too.

As one of the new Oxford OSS coordinators, I think I should volunteer to advertise this event to the the Oxford OSS group again but quite frankly haven't got a clue how to do it!  (I will get to grips with the technology soon!).  I'll check if Sefryn is able to do it though.
Hope this is enough to show willing as a new coordinator and fellow tree (or perhaps we should say fish ) hugger .....
Julie

________________________________

From: Kate Rew <kate.rew at outdoorswimmingsociety.com>
To: ossoxon at earth.li
Cc: James Lowe <James.Lowe at datacore.com>; t.warr at brookes.ac.uk
Sent: Wed, 30 June, 2010 17:11:22
Subject: [OSS Oxon] OSS Silent Swim, Saturday 17th July/ few volunteers needed

Dear Oxford swimmers

Thanks to the kindness of one of our members, Angus, and the creativity of Tracey at Oxford Brookes, I am holding a silent swim on Saturday 17th July near Abingdon. The idea, as ever, is to introduce more people into the joys of swimming... and with a meditation first, and in a very special place, should be lovely occasion. We're holding it as part of the Oxford Symposium on the Culture of Rowing & Swimming - there may be a few of you who are interested in their Friday talks. http://rowingandswimming.eventbrite.com/

I am looking for a few volunteers to help make it special for newcomers. Can you? Can you bring a non swimmer with you to help? 

Event details: 

http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=events&s=&id=63

If you're used to swimming free on your own/with a friend, that is what we hope to achieve for a bigger group, some of whom will be first timers. The idea is to power down on the social chat, and by suggesting people not speak, allow them to enjoy all the sights, sounds and sensations of the riverbank. (I know I sound like a tree hugger... hang on, perhaps I am).

Can you? A few non-swimming roles too if you have someone who might sacrifice their swim for 

Roles include: 

*	Designing, laminating and cobbling together some signposts of words we can put down the riverbank for people to swim past 
*	Turning up 7am Saturday morning to put up the event shelter, bring picnic blankets for people to sit on and lay then out, walk up and down riverbank hammering the aforementioned signpost into the bank, putting up easel with what happens when 
*	Wearing OSS tshirt so people can ask you things about their fears of swimming/ the timetable (in a whisper), helping them with all the normal worries about shoes, bags, pike. Volunteers can buy t's at cost price 
*	Staying to guard the bags while all else pop off and swim 
*	Smiling 
*	Swimming in your OSS hat so people feel reassured by your presence 
*	Topping and tailing each swim group. While we're not responsible for everyone (it's a social swim) but only courteous to go at the front and back so we don't leave anyone behind 
*	Rowing a boat (we can borrow some down there) 
*	Selling OSS kit to anyone who wants it  (hats, I heart the thames book, wild swim, hoodies, hats) 
*	If you feel so inclined, bringing more tea, coffee and breakfast things that you need yourself 
*	Taking down event shelter and tidying up when we leave (event end by 10.30am, we should all be off by 11am). 
*	Photograph event or record it in some way for OSS posterity

Let me know if you can help, and in what capacity.

Many thanks

Kate

Timetable (approx)

7am: volunteers arrive, set up

Details swimmers will receive (event location is kept secret so we have some way of controlling and knowing numbers) 

8am - swimmers arrive, get ready to swim, put bags in bag shelter, sit on blankets, settle 

8.15am - meditation on the banks, led by a local teacher. After this QUIET TIME!

8.25am - walk up or down the banks, led by an OSS swimmer... one route will be a swim of about a mile, the other route will be a swim of about half a mile. You will be walking barefoot in your swimming cossies, unless wearing shoes you plan to swim in, across some gravel and along the Thames path

8.35ish - get in and swim! Enjoy the sights and sounds of the riverbank. Recently we saw an oyster catcher in the Thames here, in search of freshwater mussels. The entry points are typical of rivers: a bit of clambering and reeds may be required, although we have found two sandyish beaches (but there's bound to be some mud)

9ish - emerge back at the start point! Time to reflect and share experiences. Probably keep volume down for a while, so people still swimming hear only whispers. Enjoy & share whatever food you have brought with you - thermos, croissants, camping stoves and sausages, it's up to you

9.55ish - when everyone is back and dry and has shared and eaten, we'll have a little visualisation and meditation to finish. Some things we may not have noticed in the water often come back to you at these times.

10.30am/11am; volunteers leave

Kate Rew

07931 546241

Author, journalist and director of Outdoor Swimming Society <http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/> 

*	Number 2 on Monocle's global hot list of people who deserve a bigger stage in 2010. "Stroke of genius" (Monocle, Issue 29) 

*	"The force behind the wild swimming movement" (Triathlon 220) 

*	"The Outdoor Swimming Society has become a cult movement." (Rowan Pelling, Daily Telegraph). 

*	Reviews of Wild Swim by Kate Rew: "Her prose is perfect. Page after page she nails things. Will have you hunched on the sofa as though with a stash of love letters." (The New Statesman) "A wonderful - in the old sense of that term - and joyful romp of a book. So go on. Dive in" (Robert Macfarlane, author of The Wild Places) 

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