How sea swimming changed everything for Pembrokeshire woman
Having moved to Pembrokeshire during the pandemic to care for her mother after a major stroke, she said she felt 'overwhelmed, lonely, isolated and useless.'
Ms Steadman, who lives in Haverfordwest, said: "As soon as the water touched my feet, my breath was taken away and it felt good.
"Really cold, but so good.
"As I eased myself gently into the calm, turquoise water, my partner watching me from the shore."
That swim, she said, brought a sense of freedom and hope.
Ms Steadman said: "My body felt light and free, no joint pains, no headache, no anxiety, no stress.
"I had energy, I had hope, I felt powerful and capable, I felt I was no longer pouring from an empty cup.
"Sea swimming for me is like pressing the reset button.
"When I got in the sea that day, it restored me to factory settings."
Soon after, she found Wild Swims Wales, a beach-based wellbeing group led by Sue Christopher.
Ms Christopher, a volunteer with Mind Pembrokeshire, has run outdoor health programmes through the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum's Outdoor Health Project, which promotes nature as preventative therapy.
Ms Steadman said: "Christmas was pretty difficult that year and a Boxing Day and New Year's Eve dip helped me keep it together.
"Swimming in the sea helps me to process the difficult times and put them into perspective, enabling me to feel the joyous moments that are also out there.
"But it all means so much more when done in good company.
"It's not just a challenge but a shared experience, whether we're swearing at waves, supporting a friend through a tough time or tucking into someone's homemade cake.
"The warming up process is not just a physical one, we share the warmth of love and friendship."
Ms Christopher runs a weekly Tuesday swim group year-round and encourages others to take part in outdoor activities to support their wellbeing.
She said: "We hear week after week that even after a relatively short time outdoors, people feel more able to cope with whatever is going on in their lives, even though nothing has changed since they arrived for the session.
"The benefit I hear most from participants is that connection with others and nature, being in or near water, brings a natural mindfulness and a resilience and strength that they use in other areas of their life."
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