How cold water became therapy during a time of grief, with Andy Stroud.

"Three years ago, my dad passed away from a blood clot. It was a massive shock. Very sudden. Out of the blue. Getting into cold water gave me focus during a difficult time…”

On our quest to find and tell the stories behind the hardy individuals who are using the Cold Pod, we have come to Dover beach to meet Andy Stroud. “Look out for a tall guy in a hat with a big beard,” he told us. We see him before he sees us, sitting serenely on the shingle beach with his paddleboard beside him. He offers us a welcoming smile and we warm to him straightaway.

“When I’m in the cold water, everything on my mind disappears because I’m in survival mode, concentrating on my breathing.”

“I’ve been coming down to the beach and getting in the sea every Sunday for five years,” he tells us. “There’s a group of us which, over the years, has changed. People have come and gone. They’ve brought their friends. Friends have brought their friends. It’s just word of mouth. A little adventure on a Sunday morning when everyone else is still in bed. These days, I do it more for the social side and to calm my mind down. When I’m in the cold water, everything on my mind disappears because I’m in survival mode, concentrating on my breathing. That’s all there is. My mind quietens.”

As Andy talks, we notice a small stack of pebbles in front of him which he has built. We recognise them as prayer rocks, signifying peace and grounding. It is said that deliberately stacking rocks is a way to practice mindfulness, and there is indeed a calm and spiritual side to Andy which we’ve picked up on. We’re keen to understand more about what Dover beach and the English Channel means to him.

“Now, when I’m in the sea, I feel as though I’m visiting my dad.”

“My dad had worked on the ferries to France all his life and so, after he passed away, I went out on my paddleboard and scattered his ashes in the harbour. Now, when I’m in the sea, I feel as though I’m visiting my dad.”

As Andy heads out into the sea, a Channel ferry slides into view, perhaps as a nod to the memory of his late father.

“Getting in the sea every Sunday creates a very strong and determined mindset.”

Back on land, we ask Andy about the tattoo on his chest which reads ‘Never Give Up’ and he reflects on his adventurous spirit. “I’m always looking to push myself and see what I’m capable of. Maybe it’s also something to do with the fact I’m severely dyslexic, struggled at school and wasn’t sure what I’d go on to do.” He released the valve in the paddleboard and a loud wheeze of air surprises the seagulls. “Getting in the sea every Sunday creates a very strong and determined mindset. It also probably comes from my dad. He used to take me to explore the old forts and tunnels in Dover, places that have unfortunately now been shut off but were very exciting when I was young.”

“People thought I was mad as I stood there barely dressed but I didn’t feel cold at all!”

Andy’s principle in life is to, each year, travel to a place he hasn’t been before. It has led him on adventures such as sledging with huskies in Sweden and hiking to Everest base camp. One of his adventures is particularly meaningful to him.

“My dad used to ask me, when are you going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? I kept saying, I will soon! After he passed away, I took some of his ashes on the trip and scattered them at the summit. I also raised money for the charity, Thrombosis UK, in memory of my dad. I remember getting to the top of the mountain as the sun rose. It was cold, about minus 10. I remember taking off my warm clothes to show the Thrombosis UK vest I was wearing. People thought I was mad as I stood there barely dressed but I didn’t feel cold at all!”

There is certainly a resilience to Andy, demonstrated by the dip he now takes in the cold sea. He gestures for us to join him, but we decline, pointing to the camera which we couldn’t possibly put down! He spends a quiet ten minutes in the cold water, appearing completely at home.

“I’ve met a lot of like-minded people because of swimming in the sea, ones I wouldn’t meet in normal circumstances. All walks of life.”

Emerging slightly pink, Andy dries off and wraps up warm. “I’ve met a lot of like-minded people because of swimming in the sea, ones I wouldn’t meet in normal circumstances. All walks of life. Everyone gets on. Everyone has something in common. We’re all suffering together in the cold! It’s rewarding to introduce newcomers to the group, show them how to manage their breathing and help them stay in the water. I’ve been told I have a very calming voice!”

He really does!

Andy is also connected to the sea through his job, working on the David Church dredger, maintaining the depth of Dover port and keeping the ships sailing smoothly! He invites us to come aboard and, of course, we accept!

“I’ve managed to get a qualification in cold water therapy and breathwork which was hard for me to do.”

“At school, it was easy to think that I was just a little dyslexic kid, what am I going to do with my life?” Andy tells us, giving us a tour of the huge ship. “Now I’ve travelled all over the world. I have a house. A car. A good job. Recently, I visited a school to talk to children who’d been kicked out of their classes because they’d been naughty when, in fact, it’s probably because they’re dyslexic. I told them all I’d managed to do in my life and what they can achieve too. It was terrifying talking to them, but they said I was “well safe”, which is apparently a good thing! Dyslexia doesn’t need to stop you doing anything. I’ve managed to get a qualification in cold water therapy and breathwork which was hard for me to do, but I know it all - it’s all up here in my head!

“Cold water is never far away from me.”

“Cold water is never far away from me,” Andy continues, as we disembark from the dredger, and he goes on to say something which we interpret as an outright invitation to follow him back to his place! “I’ve been doing ice baths at home for a few years and have also had a cold shower installed in the garden. Going between that and the ice bath, spending a minute in each, is brutal!”

“I really do believe in - as my hat says - we freeze to thrive. I definitely have.”

We don’t want to outstay our welcome so after getting Andy nice and cold, we say our goodbyes and express our thanks for his time and for sharing so openly. His motivation has, all along, been to encourage others to give cold water a go, to see it as a friend rather than a foe. It can, as Andy has shown, act as therapy through tough times. For Andy, it also seems to be a presence in his life which reminds him to keep pushing, keep chasing dreams and, of course, never give up.

Finally, he offers us some parting words. “I really do believe in - as my hat says - we freeze to thrive. I definitely have."

Why are we bringing stories to the Cold Pod? Because the Cold Pod isn’t just a product - the means of conveniently getting your cold-water fix. It is more than that. Behind everyone who gets into a Cold Pod is a story. A reason. A motivation. There are countless lives which have been changed for the better because of cold water. These unique stories matter. They shouldn’t go untold. After all, stories empower. Humanize. Inspire. Bring depth to our lives. Make us sit up, pay attention, and understand ourselves. We learn from stories. The whole world is built around stories.