The first ever Cornwall Swim Festival made a big splash at Trevassack Lake – drawing swimmers, families and local businesses together in celebration of community, wellness and open-water adventure, all in support of Children’s Sailing Trust (CST).
Hosted by CST Experiences, the trading arm of the charity, and organised by Cornish Kelpie, the event welcomed 85 swimmers across five distances, from the speedy 50m dash to the endurance-testing 1500m swim. Sponsored by Dryrobe, the festival offered something for everyone, whether swimming, spectating or simply soaking up the chilled, happy atmosphere.
The festival marked an exciting moment for CST and Trevassack Lake, following last month’s announcement of Falmouth Harbour’s generous support, which funded and supplied a new set of safety buoys now installed on the lake. The brightly coloured buoys are essential for water management and safety with several replacing the worst of the deflated floats in time for the festival.
“The new buoys looked fantastic and added to the professional, welcoming setup of the day,” said CST CEO Jakie Jewell. “We’re incredibly grateful to Miles Carden and the Falmouth Harbour team for their partnership and continued commitment to safe, inclusive access to Cornwall’s waters.”
The event was filled with activity both on and off the lake:
Cornish small businesses showcased their work, including Peth, Lesa Welch Art, Corca Mor, Little Green Fox, Amy’s Silver Jewellery and Own the Adventure swimwear (who donate a portion of their profits to Breast Cancer UK). Mor Holan Sauna was also on site warming up swimmers and spectators alike.
Visitors enjoyed talks from keynote speaker Professor Mike Tipton and the RNLI, with Rewind Radio welcoming everyone and DJ Sam from Cafe Wahala entertaining on the beach.
The Trevassack Lake Cafe served up takeaway street food for a record day of sales, fuelling guests with artisan coffee, homemade cakes and tasty treats.
A raffle organised by Cornish Kelpie with prizes donated by stallholders helped raise funds for Children’s Sailing Trust, supporting their work in giving young people confidence and independence through sailing and watersports.
Social media feedback from swimmers and visitors was overwhelmingly positive:
“Super friendly, caring, informative, inclusive and well organised,” said Leila Reay.
“Such an uplifting day full of positive energy, good vibes and inspiring people,” added Alison Turner.
Event organiser Jo Wilce of Cornish Kelpie summed it up: “It was a fantastic day – thank you to everyone who came and supported us. Bring on next year!”
CST CEO Jakie Jewell added, “This event was about so much more than swimming, it was about community. Seeing the lake alive with people, laughter and positivity reminded us exactly why we do what we do. We’re so proud of our team and partners who made it all possible, with a particular shout out to the local Mullion Surf Life Savers Club and our dedicated volunteers who were out on the water for several hours keeping everyone safe.”<
Following such a successful debut, plans are already underway to bring the Cornwall Swim Festival back even bigger and better next year, continuing to raise funds and awareness for Children’s Sailing Trust and its mission to make watersports accessible for all.
