Swim Every Day in January for Mental Health Swims

This January, inspired by RED January   I will be swimming outdoors every day in order to raise money for Mental Health Swims  and Clevedon Marine Lake . Read more about why I'm doing this challenge below!


I started swimming outdoors earlier this year after a long journey of struggles with my mental health. I never started outdoor swimming with the intention of it benefiting my mental health, I just wanted to try something new and push myself.
Swimming has always been my safe place having swum since I was a child and as soon as I'm in the water everything melts away and it's the closest form of meditation that I've personally discovered. It empowers me and allows me to feel present. It gets me up in the morning, has allowed me to make new friends  and is something I really feel joy for! 

After seeing how fast Mental Health Swims  has grown I know that others have found the same solace in swimming. So this year for RED January I am going to swim outdoors every day in January to raise money for Mental Health Swims and support their cause. Mental Health Swims offer safe spaces to people who live with mental health challenges to dip a toe in the water and feel the benefits of being with others outdoors. Swimming in January outdoors every day won't be easy with shorter days and Baltic temperatures, but I want to push myself to show to other people that despite our struggles, swimming is for everyone and can really benefit our mental wellbeing 

With the money raised Mental Health Swims will be able to offer:

- Mental health first aid training for all our lovely swim hosts so they can confidently support those who are really struggling. 

- Online water safety courses to anyone who volunteers with Mental Health Swims because keeping safe in the water is our top priority. 

- Free introductions to cold water swimming with trained coaches so that participants feel confident about joining our peer support groups. 

 A portion of the money raised would be used to create an online platform with the tools and resources that would be a hub for all things Mental Health Swims. It would allow us to work with talented experts who are specialists in accessibility. 

I will also be donating 50% of all money raised to the Marlens and Friends of Clevedon Marine Lake who work so hard to keep my favourite swimming spot a safe and beautiful place to swim. They are also working to raise money for disabled access so it can be an inclusive place for everyone to enjoy. 

Thank you all for supporting me in this journey and every donation no matter how big or small counts! You can follow me on my journey on my Instagram page here !