City Swimmers was made by filmmakers who are also swimmers.
it captures the pleasures of bathing with moorhens and ducks throughout the changing seasons and is a lively insiders’ account of a campaign for the right to do so.
The story starts on Hampstead Heath. Here, near the centre of London, are three ponds where people swim - one for women, one for men and one for mixed bathing. In November 2004 a proposal to restrict or ban swimming sparked an explosion of public anger. Protesters were pitted against the ancient and secretive Corporation of the City of London which took over the management of the Heath in 1989.
The campaign won support beyond London as it touched on common experiences of excessive safety regulation, commercialisation and the erosion of public resources.