Community, sisterhood and wild swimming: Meet the women who inspired The Endeavour 

At Ancient + Brave, our belief in the power of women supporting women is so strong that in 2026, we pledged £100,000 to support midlife women achieve an adventure of a lifetime.

From coastal hikes to desert treks, we have been humbled by the courage and meaning behind every application we have received. But our pledge wouldn't quite be what it is without the women who inspired it all. 

The Endeavour, our pioneering outdoor adventure initiative, was born after Ancient + Brave's commitment to support and follow the triumphant efforts of the Bluetit 6 Channel Relay Team. Together, this group of inspiring women are reclaiming their confidence and shaping their next chapter by taking on the challenge of a lifetime to swim the English Channel. 

Meet the Endeavour Muses: Q&A with the Bluetit 6 Channel Relay Team 

A group of spirited wild swimmers in training to cross the English Channel, the Bluetit’s story is one of community, strength and sisterhood. Together, they’re a force like no other, proving that bravery is most powerful when it’s collective.

To us, success isn’t a finish line. By being brave and inspiring others to take on a meaningful challenge, these fierce women have already won the race.

We chatted with the Bluetit 6 between gruelling stormy training sessions and chilli winter dips to find out what motivated their midlife endeavour and explore how they hope their challenge will inspire others to realise that age and lifestage should not limit you in achieving your dreams.

Why did you decide to set yourself the goal of swimming the Channel?

JANET: I swam races, distances and challenges when I was very young, always wanting to swim the channel until I gave it up to enjoy teenage life - which I thought was more fun at the time. Over the years, my body confidence was low, and I wasn’t prioritising anything that was truly for my own enjoyment. I then made myself try cold water dipping about 3 years ago, never thinking it would reignite my love of swimming, but it truly did. 

Being part of a female community where personal amazing challenges were met brought that dream back to the surface. I fought back against the doubts, feeling braver and stronger than ever.  I wanted this, and I could and should follow my dream.

CAROL:  Swimming the Channel was never on my radar until I saw Makala Jones of ‘The Bluetits’ complete her solo crossing. I suddenly thought wow, maybe, maybe I could do that. I was terrified of water, but after a few front crawl tutorials from my husband, my confidence soared. I later had a swim lesson with Makala, and I remember her telling me that I had a channel crossing in me. That cemented a dream I never knew was in me.

Why now? Was there one thing that made you leap from talking about it to doing it?

CAROL: I am a mother and grandmother, and spent my life raising my family and putting them first. Now, just feels right; it’s my time to do something for me. At 45, Cold water swimming has given me confidence. Standing on the side of a pond in the middle of the Brecon Beacons in just a swimming costume, exposed to elements changes your mindset.

I can put myself first and find the strength and dreams I never knew I had. I beat cancer, I survived the loss of my father, been a single mam to 4 boys, then rebuilt my life following domestic abuse and survived everything else life has wanted to throw at me. All of that just drives me further.

JANET:  Why now? Because I am Janet, I am here, and I believe in myself. I had become extremely lost with such low self-esteem and social anxiety during menopause. I’d been told in my marriage I couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything like this, but after seeing The Bluetits swimming one day, I took the plunge, got in the water and found myself once again. After my marriage broke down, I knew I had grown back stronger, more resilient and could follow my dreams. The cold water and the community it has given me has brought me back to life. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

How are you preparing to take on this challenge?

KERRY: It was only 18 months ago that I challenged myself to learn front crawl, so swimming the Channel is a massive challenge for me. I’m so inspired by other women who completed this challenge and thought, if they can do this, maybe I can too.

My focus this year is improving my technique, building stamina and increasing distance and time. I’m also training hard in the gym, and the next challenge will be getting on top of my nutrition and sleep routine. Balancing training with normal life, family and work is always going to be a juggling act.

BOW: Training, training, fun and more training is the answer. When I signed up 9 months ago, I couldn't swim more than 25m front crawl. 6 months later, and I was able to swim 350m, and recently I just managed to swim my longest front crawl of 1700m!!! I literally cried in the changing rooms afterwards as I realised “I think I'm going to be able to do this”. I never would have been able to do that without the monthly training sessions we have as a group. Whenever we're together, the impossible seems possible. 

What has helped you to prepare your body for the challenge mentally and physically?

KERRY: Taking on such a big challenge means that you have to be consistent with your training. So that means showing up and doing it when you really don’t want to and pushing through anyway.

One of my biggest struggles is learning to take rest days. I’m a doer and not very good at stopping. Knowing that I am doing this as part of a team really helps. I want to be my best for me, but mostly for my team.

Ancient + Brave have been part of my journey for over 3 years, starting with collagen to help with joint pain and menopause. I’ve now added in True Creatine+, True Magnesium+ and True Hydration. Taking on such a big challenge means that you have to be consistent. 

BOW: I have two kids in school, I manage an under-12s rugby team, I work full time, I volunteer once a week, and I am also part of the admin team for our local Bluetits Chill Swimmers group. Life is hectic. Menopause, alongside my medications, left me with my hair falling out, weight shifting and anxiety. I need to get my body and mind into shape and fit enough for this challenge.

When the Ancient + Brave nutritionists talked with me, they really helped me understand that my body was in survival mode and that before I do anything, I need to focus on helping my body know that it's safe again. Using True Collagen and the Brave Clarity Tincture over the last year has really helped my hair strengthen and gro,w whilst also centring myself and supporting my focus. 

What has surprised you most on this journey?

CAROL:  The team! Everyone shows up and puts the work in; half of us couldn’t swim front crawl a year ago, and now we are all crawling through the water. If one of us has a down day, the other 5 pick that person up. Now, if we were thrown in the water today and told to swim to France, I have 200% faith and trust in our amazing team that we would do it. We have all faced life trials and tribulations, so WE CAN AND WILL ACHIEVE ANYTHING!

JANET: The connections and friendships I have. I view my teammates as the closest friends, but also as role models and inspirations to follow. We stay there for each other and pick each other up, laugh, cry and yell together. It is such an incredible feeling to be part of this team…I was not expecting such a gift.

What does completing the challenge mean to you?

CAROL:  It means everything! We fully understand how hard this will be mentally and physically when we are in that water alone. That is what will make our success even more special. Regardless of what happens from here on out, this team is now a family, a family for life. People will talk about Bluetit 6 for a very long time; it's going in the history books.

JANET: It means I am Janet, and I am here living and strong and resilient. For me, breaking down the preconceived ideas that society has about what individuals can achieve or what an athlete must look like!  Completing the challenge to me is... yes, getting over to France, but really completing the challenge is giving it our all.

SIÂN: Swimming the channel in 2027 will have been 2 years in the making. I have no doubt it will change who I am and how I think, as well as how I eat, and take care of my body and mind. Completing this challenge will be the result of teamwork and all the hard work yet to come. Completing our challenge will be the ultimate answer to how well the team has worked together and how much we have bonded and become a part of each other’s lives. It will mean everything to me! A dream come true.

Is it important to you that the challenge empowers other women?

SAM: I don’t see myself as inspirational. I'm just a normal woman, a mum, a nan, who decided to take on something that scared me. But, if me doing this - learning front crawl from scratch and trusting my teammates with my life - shows even one other woman that she's capable of more than she thinks, that is incredibly humbling. That would mean a lot. 

SIÂN: I cannot imagine anything more powerful than our story becoming a catalyst for women to begin to believe in themselves and think that they, too, can dream of adventure and be capable of setting whatever challenge excites them. We are just a bunch of women who found cold water and each other. If our story inspires other women to take up a challenge of their own, how awesome would that be!!! For me, that would be the absolute cherry on top of the challenge we seek for ourselves. 

What advice would you give to women considering taking on an adventure in midlife?

CAROL: DO IT! You made it through life's hard times and got this far, so you already have the strength you need for your challenge. This is not a midlife crisis; you just shine differently in midlife, that’s your body and mind reminding you how bold and amazing you are.

JANET: Why should numbers define who we are and what we do? If you have a dream or a goal, you can do it. We don’t need permission to be us. Find your way, believe in you, all of you and every part of you. Do it for you, not for anyone else. 

KERRY: One of my favourite quotes is from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summers Day” She says, “Tell me, What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Having lost both of my parents relatively young, I know firsthand how precious life is. So don’t wait, there are only so many tomorrows. Be Brave, Bold and fearless, say YES to opportunity, and just go out and show the world how bloody fabulous you are.

SAM: Stop waiting. If there's something calling you, don’t keep putting it off. It’s ok to choose yourself. Do it now while you can. You're braver than you think!

SIÂN: What are you waiting for? Time is precious and short, and if a challenge excites you, whether it be learning to swim, climbing a mountain or running 5km, just go for it! Because the journey towards your goal is where you find all the joy! Seek out and join local groups. In small ways, begin to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the things you enjoy and build from there. Honestly, you will not regret it. Time is now! Put one step towards your dream, and you’re already closer. 

BOW: This is it, this is the chance, right here, right now. If you've done your research, if you believe in yourself and what you want to achieve, then you need to go for it. No one else is going to do this for you, but you. Find someone who inspires you and reach out to them, find out everything you can.  You have to be prepared to put the work in, not give up and make sure you have a fantastic support network or team with you, because this journey will be hard, but think of what you will have achieved at the end of it.

The Endeavour: Adventure funding inspired by brave women 

Has the Blue Tits’ journey inspired you to take on an adventure that’s been waiting in the wings? 

The Endeavour is our pioneering outdoor adventure initiative, providing up to £20,000 of funding for up to four midlife women, or groups of midlife women, to take on a meaningful challenge. 

While 2026 applications for The Endeavour are now closed, this is only the beginning of our mission to help unlock more adventures in midlife. Follow our 2026 Endeavour applicants' journeys and let their courage be the catalyst for your own adventure.