Making Waves – Polly Shute is creating space, building confidence and making a splash for LGBTQ+ inclusion

When Polly Shute founded the ‘Out & Wild Festival’ in 2021, it was with a simple but powerful aim: to build spaces where queer women and non-binary people could create shared experiences, away from the environments of late-night bars and clubs.

Now, just a few years later, what began as a 30-person pop-up event, has grown into a thousand-strong, sell-out festival and a year-round movement making waves across the UK.

“I didn’t come out until I was 41,” Polly shared candidly. “I’m 58 now, and when I did come out, I really wanted to give back, to do something for the community.”

That desire to contribute led Polly to Pride in London, but she soon saw the need for something different, spaces that weren’t built around nightlife or alcohol, but instead focused on wellbeing, connection and inclusion.

Swimming towards wellness

It was during the early days of Out and Wild that Polly recognised the unique power of swimming, especially cold water swimming, to bring people together.

“I saw how it helped people bond, how it created instant connection,” she says. “It wasn’t planned, it just happened organically. But it’s now a real passion of mine.”

That passion sparked the beginning of Pride Swim, a growing initiative that makes aquatic activities more accessible for LGBTQ+ communities, particularly those who may feel excluded from traditional fitness spaces.

“Swimming can be intimidating if you don’t feel like you fit a ‘norm’, whether that’s to do with body image, gender identity, or anything else,” Polly explains.

“What we try to do is remove that fear, and create spaces where people feel they belong.”

Out and Wild – Helping people find their team

Polly’s Out and Wild Festival has become much more than a weekend escape. Set in the beautiful landscapes of Devon, it’s an experience with wellness, sport and community at its heart.

“It’s not about throwing a party. It’s about creating moments where people feel safe, seen and connected.”

Central to its growth has been word-of-mouth and a fierce dedication to quality. “Even when it cost me money, I was committed to delivering an exceptional experience,” Polly says. “That’s what kept people coming back.”

A key innovation has been the introduction of Regional Leads, community organisers across the UK who host local meet-ups and mini-retreats, helping first-timers ease into the festival with confidence.

“Around 30 per cent of attendees come on their own,” Polly says. “Having someone local to connect with beforehand, makes all the difference.”

While the festival has grown, Polly’s vision is focused. “We never want to be huge. Once you get beyond 2,000 people, you risk losing that intimacy, that sense of belonging.” Instead, the focus is on year-round growth through smaller events, camping retreats and now urban wellness activations, including a new Pride in Wellness programme launching in Canary Wharf.

“I want to bring that same feeling, being in open space, by water, connecting with others, to people in cities who can’t always get out to nature,” she says.

On being a changemaker

Does Polly consider herself a changemaker? “It used to make me cringe,” she admits. “But now, I’ve leaned into it. If me being visible helps someone else feel seen, or helps the festival grow, then that’s part of the mission.”

In a landscape where queer spaces are shrinking and the need for inclusive wellbeing is rising, Polly’s work stands as both radical and restorative. “I’m really proud of what I’ve done,” she says. “In what can feel like a very male-dominated queer world, I think I’ve helped give visibility and voice to queer women. That matters.”

And it does. Because whether it’s through a cold water swim, a field in Devon or a pop-up in the centre of Canary Wharf, Polly Shute isn’t just making waves, she’s creating spaces for others to swim in them too.

You can find out more about Out and Wild and Polly’s fantastic work via: https://www.outandwild.co.uk/ and https://www.prideswim.org/