Boxing Day dip chills the bones but warms the cockles

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Jan 03, 2013

After a day of presents, food and a few drinks, it took a lot of courage to go out into the North Sea at Redcar, but that’s what five of the team from The Willows the team from did to raise money for their favourite local charity, Zoe’s Place Children’s Hospice.

Manager Ruth Catton said: “The Boxing Day Dip is organised by our local Lions group,  so we decided that we would join in and raise money for the Lions and for Zoe’s Place, a children’s hospice we have supported for a number of years.”

Ruth, three Care Assistants and one of the activities team, braved the freezing weather and raised more than £600. Ruth said: “It was very windy and there was sleet in the air. It was so cold we could not feel a thing below our thighs when we came out. We stayed in for more than five minutes. The organisers told us not to go beyond ten minutes as we risked hypothermia.

“But the fantastic support given to us by friends, families and other participants made it all worthwhile and we were joined for a reviving tot of Baileys afterwards by the participants from Community Campus, who support homeless youngsters in Teeside.

“We now hope to build a relationship with the group and we hope to have a visit from some of the young people in the near future.”