Dee Mile Swim

Bathing water application 🏊‍♀️🏊🌊🦆🐟🐸🪷
We are pleased that the community application for the River Dee at Sandy Lane Park, Chester to be designated as an inland bathing water has been put forward by DEFRA for public consultation.

Please contribute to the consultation which is open at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/13-proposed-bathing-water-sites/

The area is already used by so many swimmers and dippers that we feel designation would bring widespread health and safety benefits through increased monitoring and awareness of the water quality and management of risks. The application has the support of the local authority Cheshire West and Chester Council, as well as local MP Samantha Dixon and other local stakeholders including local residents, businesses, river user groups, etc. Over 800 responses were received to the public consultation carried out over 6 weeks during summer 2025. Of these, more than 790 were in favour of the proposal to apply for bathing water designation. Overwhelmingly, the reasons given showed a desire for a cleaner and safer river for humans and wildlife, a clamp down on pollution from sewage and agriculture routine water monitoring, and the benefits to living a healthy lifestyle through recreation at free, public, open water locations.

Consultation on Designation of 13 Sites as Bathing Waters - Defra - Citizen Space This site contains consultations that are run by Defra.

Our friends at Deva Divas Triathlon are holding their BEGINNER'S SEMINAR this Sunday at 3pm

It's your chance to learn all about what triathlon and specifically Deva Divas involves and ask ANY questions you may have!

Here's the link. Look forward to seeing you there😀

Susie Woods is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: My Meeting
Time: Feb 8, 2026 03:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81002243014?pwd=PfssdnF0Cl45J0P27ZoDua9mbdfqq1.1

Meeting ID: 810 0224 3014
Passcode: 642491

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And jolly fine they are too, all those lovely Christmas treats... the perfect fuel for your training in 2026 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Get next year off to thw best start by entering Deva Divas Triathlon, Quadrathlon or Aquabike. Don't worry if this is your first rodeo, we have a beginner's seminar to take you through what's involved and answer all your questions, familiarisation sessions for the swim and bike and plenty of support with a community of like minded women.

Don't leave it too late though, early bird offer ends midnight on 31st December!!

https://www.chestertri.org.uk/our-races/deva-divas/

Ah, the run up to Christmas. Enough to send the best of us women to the edge of exhaustion and overwhelm. So how about in 2026 you put yourself first and take the time to train to complete Deva Divas Triathlon, Quadrathlon or Aquabike. We guarantee you plenty of support with a community of like minded women. Don't leave it too late though, early bird offer ends midnight on 31st December!!

https://www.chestertri.org.uk/our-races/deva-divas/

Everyone who loves the River Dee, Chester
🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️🦆🐟🐸🪷
The Clean Dee community has applied for designated bathing water status, which would lead to increased monitoring of water quality, investigations into pollution, and requirements to improve water quality in the river.
Please fill in the short survey as part of the public consultation and spread the word as much as possible. The consultation closes on 29 September at 23:45. You can read more information by scanning the QR code.

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSsbNjgy63XdBrfbcp9OPXJpUM1hMRVZOVTczWkU5VTlSRzNXUkNHVVNITi4u&route=shorturl,

An application was previously submitted in 2023 but did not meet the criteria. This time we have already counted well over the number of bathers required as one of the criteria!
Your voice can help to secure this important status for the River Dee!

Well done to all of yesterday’s Dee Mile Swimmers! 👏 Whether it was your first or your 20th, we hope you enjoyed it and that you’ll be back again for more next year. Judging by the feedback that has been pouring in, you’ll be back in droves! 🙏

The event photos are available for free at: https://mickhallphotos.photohawk.com/galleries/chester-dee-mile-swim

And watch this space for the 2025 film, which we’ll post as soon as it’s ready in a couple of days.

So swimmers, 1 day to go! Everyone’s going to be getting a super swim hat and memento of the swim, as well as an official time, free event photos and video and memories of a lovely day. Who’s also going to be taking home the trophies (and Funky Trunks / Funkita vouchers and chocolates) with them tomorrow???

A number of us from Chester Triathlon Club really enjoyed listening to the great Alistair Brownlee this evening. Although swimming is clearly his least favourite triathlon discipline and he’s only been swimming twice this year (while on holiday), we couldn’t resist asking if he’d like the last remaining place available for the Dee Mile Swim. Apparently he’s busy this Saturday 😂 Maybe next year, when he’s better prepared eh?