Icy Waters and Festive Spirits: Yorkshire Coast Prepares for Boxing Day Dips

Communities across the Yorkshire Coast are preparing to brave the elements for the long-standing tradition of the Boxing Day dip.

Hundreds of "brave or bold" participants are expected to plunge into the North Sea this Boxing Day to raise thousands of pounds for local charities.

In Whitby, the 2025 event marks a significant milestone as the Whitby District Lions Club celebrates its 50th anniversary dip. Over the last five decades, these "fun and frantic" events have seen participation grow from a handful of local citizens to hundreds of dippers travelling from "far and wide". The club reports that the tradition has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for both local and national charities over the years.

Organisers have described the dip as a "unique and memorable experience" and a "family-friendly event" that allows relatives to meet up and spend Boxing Day morning together after the festivities of Christmas Day. Last year’s event was particularly successful, with a record-breaking 329 dippers raising over £5,500 for the Lions Club alone.

Fancy dress remains a core part of the Whitby tradition, with previous participants appearing as dinosaurs, superheroes, and even a team of traffic cones. This year, the costumes will be under high-profile scrutiny. Derek Matthewson, from the television programme Bangers and Cash, is set to judge the competition, alongside local hero and England football star Beth Mead.

The Lions Club emphasises that safety is paramount. All dippers must register to ensure they are covered by insurance. Registration opens at 10:00 am at the tent near the Whitby Bandstand on Pier Road, with the dip taking place immediately after the 10:30 am fancy dress judging. Participants are advised to wear old trainers to protect against cold sand and rocks, as they are permitted to stay in the water for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Community Spirit in Bridlington and Flamborough

Further down the coast, the "Flamborough Flippers" will be gathering at North Landing, Flamborough, Bridlington. This dip, scheduled for 11:00 am on 26th December, aims to raise funds for Flamborough Pre-School. Organisers encourage participants to bring their "spirit" and a "woolly hat" to help distract one another from the "wintery ice-cold waves". To help dippers recover, Boathouse Burger and Grill will provide free hot drinks for those taking part.

In the town of Bridlington itself, another traditional dip is being organised by Richies Cafe at Bridlington South Beach. This event supports The Hinge Centre, with registration starting at 10:30 am for an 11:00 am plunge. As a gesture of thanks, Richies Cafe will offer all participants a hot drink after their "nice cool dip".

Safety First for Festive Swimmers

While the events are festive, safety organisations like the RNLI and the Coastguard urge caution. Safety experts recommend that those wishing to take part should:

• Join an organised and supervised event rather than swimming alone.
• Enter the water slowly to allow the body to acclimatise to the temperature.
• Stay within a safe depth and "Float to Live" if they get into trouble.
• Warm up immediately after the dip with dry clothes and a hot drink.

The Whitby District Lions Club also reminds participants that the dip is a "non-swimming" event and that dippers should not be fully submerged. Whitby Diving Club members will form a safety perimeter in the sea, and all participants must leave the water when signalled.

One of those organiser is Brian Harrison:

 

"This year, we're celebrating our 50th anniversary. And to celebrate this, Derek Matthewson from Bangers in Cash TV programme is going to be our celebrity guest judge at our fancy dress competition.

"And there's prizes available for the best-dressed male and female and under 16 boys and girls. And of course, our team competition. We've had some fantastic entries over the years from like teams of traffic cones and penguins. Your usual Father Christmas, and Christmas-themed fancy dress.

"We also like Batman and Robin, dinosaurs, all elephants, all sorts of things. It's been fantastic. They're hoping for another brilliant year in terms of fancy dress this year to really celebrate our 50th anniversary. There's been a lot of interest in this year's dip. We've had over 125 people pre-register online so far.

"Last year we had about just over 300 and quite a lot of people signed up on the day. So we're expecting probably one of our biggest ever dips, which is great. To sign in, well to register for the dip, you can go online to the Whitby lion's website where you can purchase it. An entry ticket, it costs £10 and you can do that up to Christmas day evening or you can register on the day. Again, it's £10 cash, credit or debit card. And yeah, we'll welcome you down there. We're expecting there's a big crowd to watch the dip as well. There's many thousands of people come out for local dippers, there's many thousands people come down local residents come down.

"It's a real Whitby traditional event where everyone comes down to a Boxing day morning to see everyone run into the freezing North Sea. I'd say it started like 50 years ago from a small little dip to raise money for local charities. And then over the years it's grown. It's grown and grown.

"And I say it's the sort of biggest event we've ever done and currently, and all the money we raise from the entry fees will be donated to local charities and good causes we support in the local area. We are also have, we're also really looking looking forward to welcoming BBC breakfast news.

"They're going to do a live report from from the Boxing Day dip early in the morning, and then one of their reporters is going to run into the sea before all the action gets underway." 

For those not "bonkers" enough to enter the water, the events offer a significant spectacle for onlookers. In Whitby, spectators often number in the thousands, with the best views found at the West Pier, Battery Parade, and the Whale Bones.