IceBreakers Safety & Wellbeing

At IceBreakers, we’re not here to prove anything. We dip for connection, not competition. The cold water is a powerful tool – but it comes with risks. Every time we meet, we take care of each other, and ourselves.

Cold Water Safety

This is a dip – not a swim or an endurance challenge. The aim is simply to show up, breathe, and be present in nature, together.

Each session carries different risks depending on the weather and water conditions. We’ll always let you know the current safety level (e.g. calm, fast-moving, unsafe to enter). Please take this seriously.

You dip at your own risk.

We ask everyone to:

• Stick in pairs or small groups – never dip alone

• Keep it simple – if you’re new or unsure, waist-deep is more than enough

• Keep an eye out – people in trouble often go quiet

• If you’re in difficulty, raise an arm and shout – our leaders will respond quickly

We are not lifeguards. But we are a community – and looking out for each other is part of what we do.

Mental Health & Support

We don’t just dip bodies – we support minds too.

This is a space where you can show up honestly, no matter what kind of day or week you’ve had. We ask everyone to:

• Be kind

• Listen, don’t fix

• Hold space – there’s no need to solve anything

• Avoid bravado – this isn’t a place for pushing through or pretending

You never know what someone might be carrying.

If you’re struggling, it’s okay to say so. No judgment. No pressure. Just a group of men walking through life’s stuff together, one dip at a time.

Our Duty of Care

All activities – including dips, saunas, walks and anything else we do – are undertaken at your own risk.

Everyone who joins us is asked to complete a simple waiver in advance.

If you have any pre-existing health conditions, please talk to your GP before joining and let one of our leaders know discreetly.

During any activity, if you feel unwell – cold, dizzy, anxious or just not quite right – stop immediately. Hydrate, breathe, and tell a leader or someone nearby.

We’re not trained therapists or medics – but we can create a space where people feel safe, supported, and part of something real.