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Crisis Icebreaker

Join us for our 15th Crisis Icebreaker this winter, the original charity cold-water swimming challenge.

Choose your challenge

Our in-person events will be in collaboration with two iconic London lidos this year:

  • Parliament Hill Lido on Saturday 5 December 2026 
  • Tooting Bec Lido on Saturday 30 January 2027, in collaboration with 2027 UK Cold Water Swimming Championships 

If you can't make it to our in-person events but you're feeling inspired, you can still take part in our DIY Icebreaker. This year we’d love for you to fundraise doing a Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Years Day cold swim.

Boost your cold water knowledge

Please read our cold water tips and safety guidance before participating in Crisis Icebreaker.

Please read our cold-water tips and safety guidance before participating in the Crisis Icebreaker.

General health and safety advice for cold-water swimming

  • Consult your GP before getting into cold water if you are pregnant, suffer from heart disease or lung conditions, have asthma, or any other medical conditions that might be affected by exposure to cold water.
  • Read the official tips from The Outdoor Swimming Society.
  • Please wear a swim cap during your challenge to help retain body heat. Crisis will provide Crisis branded swim caps to all participants.
  • Fancy dress is optional, but if you do wear fancy dress, please make sure that it does not affect your ability to swim safely.
  • Consider reading the government guidelines on living with COVID.
  • Please do not take part in the Crisis Icebreaker if you have any coronavirus symptoms listed on the NHS website. You could always take part in the Icebreaker at a later date.
  • Before you take part, consult your GP if you have any underlying health conditions that make you more vulnerable to coronavirus. If you are part of the clinically vulnerable or extremely vulnerable category, please follow the government guidance.

Cold-water tips:

  • Acclimatise to the cold; get in gradually and do not jump into cold water.
  • Swim gently at first, allowing time to overcome the shock/shallow breathing reaction to the cold.
  • Warm up gradually after getting out of the water. Use lots of layers, and wear clothes without complicated fastenings
  • Don't have a shower straight away; wrap up after the swim and keep moving to warm up.
  • Dry yourself off (pat, don’t rub), add lots of warm layers, and have a hot drink. Don’t drive until you feel well.
  • Seek help immediately if you feel very cold, nauseous, disorientated, dizzy or faint.

 

Safety advice for DIY Icebreaker

  • How to have a safe swim - read Beyond Swim's top tips
  • Please don't try this alone; make sure someone is with you who will be able to help you if you get into trouble.
  • Take your mobile phone and make sure someone knows where you're going.
  • Be safe and check local advice when choosing where to swim. You are responsible for choosing a safe location, and assessing your own ability.
  • If swimming in open water, go with someone experienced, wear brightly coloured clothes that are easy to see. Bear in mind that boats and other vehicles may be using the same water as you.
  • Read the safety advice from the RNLI website
  • If you are doing your challenge at home and are under 18, you must be under the supervision of an adult.
  • Please check your local conditions, tides and RNLI reports before your challenge to ensure your area is safe for swimming.
     

Useful links:

Open Water Swimming Society


A temperature guide
“After drop”: a guide to warming up
How to acclimatise to cold water
Festive dos and don’ts

RNLI

Know the risks

How your fundraising helps

£30

could give someone an hour of one-to-one support and coaching with one of our lead workers; helping them develop skills to find, secure, and maintain a home or a job.

£160

could help eight people with gas or electricity costs when they're setting up their new home or struggling to make their bills.

£280

could prevent someone from sleeping rough by paying for emergency accommodation while we support them to find permanent housing.

£450

could go towards mugs, pans, cutlery and bedding to help ten people set up a new home of their own.

“I can’t imagine a January without the amazing dippers being a part of my daily routine.’’
— Louise, part of the January Daily Dippers

Meet our inspirational icebreakers!

We'll be updating this throughout so please email swim@crisis.org.uk with your plans and pictures to be featured.

A community group in Yorkshire are pledging to take a daily dip in cold water throughout January. Sometimes as a group, or with friends, they use it as a daily vigil.  

Supporters can take part in their own garden - simply fill a paddling pool, wheelie bin or ice bath with cold water and don't forget your woolly hat and gloves! 

Make a statement and wear fancy dress like the swimming style icons, The Lido Ladies! 

Already a cold-water swimmer? Take the opportunity to set yourself a distance challenge. It doesn't have to be every day or very far, simply set yourself a goal over the month and swim towards it for your very own Icebreaker challenge. For extra motivation, get your swimming group or friends to join in too and have a collective target to swim towards.

Specsavers Shipley & Bingley faced the freeze outside their stores in December. A group of colleagues took turns to dunk in an ice-bath with plenty of Christmas shoppers to cheer them on!

Prefer to stay warm and dry? Fundraise your way!

Bring people together and fundraise for Crisis. Whether you fundraise at work, in your community, or with family and friends, you’ll be helping people build their lives beyond homelessness. 

We have plenty of fundraising ideas and you can download our resources to help you make a real difference and have fun along the way!

I'm ready to fundraise!

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