I should be starting to look a bit frayed, stung, bitten, burnt and happily exhausted (totally in my element) with day after day of pond dipping, minibeast hunts, tree walks etc with thousands of school children and families visiting our Rainton Meadows and Low Barns nature reserves. The spring and summer are the busiest and most fun times of the year for Durham Wildlife Trust, and it is also when we generate most of the money we need to fund our conservation, education and engagement work across the whole of the year. We have almost 40 nature reserves located between the River Tyne and the River Tees, and they all need funds for their careful management. We have wild ponies and sheep grazing our wildflower meadow habitats, and we need funds to help look after them too.

For us, COVID-19 has come at the worst time possible and it has had a severe impact on our income for 2020, as this year we have no school bookings, family events, Scout or Girl Guide group visits or community project events happening.

I have chosen to try to help raise some funds for my charity by going for a wild swim every single day, for 26 days. As I will be doing this during my daily dog walk, which I alternate with my husband, half of the dips will be in the afternoon, which should be very cold but fine. The other half will be at about 6.30/7am and will be bloody freezing! Any support you can give me through sponsorship is very much appreciated!! 

Save the UK's CharitiesGeneral fundraising has been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of fundraising events have been cancelled and many charities, particularly smaller ones, are struggling to maintain services because of this huge reduction in income.This impacts all sectors of society from children to the elderly as well as the vital work in areas such as palliative care, serious diseases, mental health, housing support, food supplies and countless others that charities support.