‘It is about people’s love of the river’: swimming group fighting for rights in the Avon

Aggie Nyagari and Charlotte Sawyer worked together to produce a feature-length documentary about the river. Photograph: Nic Kane

In a shallow valley populated by reddening ancient oak trees, the River Avon snakes along quietly – the grind of Bristol unknowingly just metres away.

Despite the falling leaves and temperature, a group of women tentatively step into the 12.5C waters of the Conham River Park in the east of the city for a midday swim – a ritual they all insist is not just a hobby but a way of life.