If you’ve spent any time around London’s growing wellness scene, chances are you’ve heard about Chilly Dippers - the friendly, fast-growing community bringing people together through the surprisingly addictive ritual of cold-water dips. At the heart of it all is Liv Sharron, the founder whose calm energy, friendly face and genuine passion for wellbeing have led to the creation of a dedicated community of cold water swimmers. We sat down with Liv to understand how a personal coping mechanism for university stress turned into a movement, why cold water is so powerful, and what’s next for Chilly Dippers as the group continues to grow.
When we ask Liv how it all started, she tells us that Chilly Dippers began during her university years in Edinburgh, when the pressures of student life became overwhelming. “I was stressed and run down, and heading out for a cold-water swim became the perfect tonic,” she explains. “It gave me time away from my phone, my work and everything that felt heavy.” What started as a solo escape soon turned social: once she invited friends to join, they were quickly converted, and a small ritual gradually evolved into a community.
Cold water swimming wasn’t something Liv grew up with. “I found it later in life,” she says. “It wasn’t a family activity, it became my own thing at university. It helped me deal with stress, and I’ve carried it into adult life because it resets me and gives me perspective.”
When we ask her what makes cold water so powerful, she explains that it offers both physical and mental benefits: improved circulation, immune support, and the invigorating rush of red blood cells surging through the body. Mentally, the cold activates the vagus nerve, pulling you into the present moment. “Any stress disappears because suddenly you’re focused on your breath, the cold, staying afloat. It shakes you out of whatever funk you’re in and brings you right back to the now.” The endorphins and adrenaline that follow, she says, leave you “soaring.”
For Liv, the heart of Chilly Dippers is community. She wants to create spaces where people can connect in a more mindful way, away from phones, in nature, and without social pressure. “I want to help challenge the stigma around mental health. I want people to feel open to talk about how they feel, and to show that socialising doesn’t have to revolve around alcohol.”
As someone that’s dipped in many places, we asked where her favourite is. Her favourite place to dip will always be North Berwick Beach, just outside Edinburgh “where Chilly Dippers was born.” As for her dream destination, she chooses the Scottish Highlands: “Lochs are my favourite. I’d love to tour them all - let’s go with Loch Lomond to start.”
Liv stresses the importance of entering the water slowly, watching the temperature and conditions, and focusing on breathwork. “Don’t shock the system. Breathe, stay calm, and warm up gradually when you get out.” Although she doesn’t claim to be a breathwork expert, she recommends Wim Hof and similar tutorials to anyone trying cold-water dipping for the first time.
Of course, building a community hasn’t been without challenges. At first, Liv jokes that the hardest part was convincing her friends to join but “they quickly became obsessed!” These days, the biggest hurdle is finding accessible dipping spots in London. “It’s a big city, and the logistics can feel more stressful than the dip,” she says, “but it’s always worth it.”
She also loves clearing up misconceptions, especially the idea that you need to swim long distances to feel the benefits. “You absolutely don’t. Ten seconds is enough for the adrenaline and endorphins to kick in. That’s why we’re Chilly Dippers, not chilly swimmers.”
Her most memorable dip took place this September during a Chilly Dippers away day at a private estate in Berkshire. “The weather was warm, the water was biting, and the whole day was magical,” she recalls. A restorative yoga and breathwork session set the scene, followed by a plunge into the icy lake, time in a woodland sauna, and a lakeside lunch prepared by a fellow dipper. “We were totally surrounded by nature. It was the most wholesome, happy day the sun was shining and so were we.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Liv is excited about more charity collaborations, including an upcoming partnership with Suicide & Co, a charity supporting people affected by suicide bereavement. She also plans to expand her sauna-and-plunge series, a welcome offering during the colder months. Their next session takes place on 6th December, with more to follow.
To finish, we ask her what advice she’d give someone trying cold-water dipping for the first time. Her answer is simple: “Breathe. Focus on your breath. Calm your system before you enter. And never jump.”
As for her own wellness routines, Liv relies on journaling (“I jot down any thought, truly any thought!”), gentle exercise a few times a week, and regular micro meditations inspired by a course she completed years ago. Even in her busiest moments, she finds space for a shorter practice.
Speaking with Liv, it’s clear that Chilly Dippers is about far more than icy water, it’s about connection, presence and building rituals that make life feel a little lighter.
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