"It’s a time to think about people who don't have homes and somewhere to keep warm" - January Daily Dip for Crisis UK continues

The January Daily Dip is in its sixth year and sees swimmers take to the cold water to raise money for Crisis, the UK's homelessness charity.

So far the events have raised approximately £128,000 for homeless and displaced people.

Gill Tinsdeall is one of the swimmers taking part in this year’s daily dip.

Gill does her dipping where she can including around her home in Huddersfield, in dipping barrels and she is hoping to take a scenic dip at Gaddings Dam near Todmorden.

She said: “I started cold water swimming three years ago during lockdown with a friend as a way to keep a bit of sanity when homeschooling the children.

“I heard about the daily dip and ice breaker challenge and joined the daily dip last year.

"It started on January 1 and will go straight through to January 31. It's really hard in the weather we are having this year with all the wind and the rain.”

Last year’s brave swimmers raised £30,000 for Crisis UK. The January Daily Dip is part of Crisis UK’s Icebreaker Challenge. Every penny raised will go to support the vital work of the UK’s leading organisation fighting the growing problem of homelessness.

"It's not a challenge,” said Gill. “We say we're taking a vigil into the cold.

"It’s a time to think about people who don't have homes and somewhere to keep warm, those people who are sofa surfing or on the streets.

“It's a luxury to get warm and dry and we are choosing when we can get out into the cold.

Money raised from the daily dip will go to Crisis UK.

Louise Studd, one of the daily dippers, said: “Homelessness can be overwhelming. It’s uncomfortable to confront. Sometimes the more we see it, the more we want to look away. But ignoring homelessness won’t help us to end it. This crisis has reached urgent levels. 300,000 households across Great Britain could be forced into homelessness next year because of the rising cost of living and the economic and social impacts of the pandemic.”

For more information on the January Daily Dip and to donate visit www.justgiving.com