Fundraising for my Local Mind: Seals making a splash in Colwyn Bay

I joined Conwy Mind in January 2023 as a fundraising officer and was keen to come up with a fun way of generating much-needed funds, so we can continue to support the mental health of local people in our part of north Wales.

Our local beach at Colwyn Bay, bustling with enthusiasts year-round regardless of weather conditions, presented itself as an ideal location. Having witnessed the increasing popularity of cold-water dipping/swimming, despite not being brave enough myself, I recognised its potential as a fundraising opportunity.

We’re also very lucky to have seals on our doorstep, so attempting to bring the two together with my ‘Seal Splash’ idea made perfect sense – and was one of the reasons why ‘Seren the Seal’ became our mascot.

The uptake was really good, and after promoting it with just leaflets and social media we had 85 signed up for the day. Tickets were only £5, but as an incentive to boost fundraising we said anyone that raised £50 or more would get a crochet Seren the Seal created by a colleague. This proved successful as so many people set up Just Giving Pages! To make the day even more fun we also encouraged fancy dress and got a prize for the best dressed.

On the big day, despite challenging high winds, we secured approval from a local beach lifeguard to proceed with the event. With registration open our participants started turning up, some sporting some incredible fancy dress outfits. The high winds didn’t dampen people’s spirits and even if people didn’t fancy a dip, they turned up to cheer everyone on. Generous donations and raffle ticket purchases from both participants and bystanders significantly contributed to the event's success.

At 1pm we all did a 10 second countdown and headed for the sea! Despite how cold it was everyone was smiling and full of laughter. After 10 minutes or so, everyone was out of the sea safely and drying themselves off. To warm up, attendees enjoyed a well-deserved 50% discount on hot beverages at the local beach café.

The event was an overwhelming success, generating an amazing £7,500 through ticket sales, fundraising, raffle entries, and donations.

Given the modest £5 registration fee, initial expectations were for a maximum of £2,000. But thanks to our wonderful community who also fundraised we raised an incredible amount – I was completely blown away!

The funds raised through Seal Splash enabled a significant expansion of our children and young people's service, extending support to individuals aged 11 and over. This development has had a profound impact, providing vital mental health support to a larger number of young people. It really does show the importance of fundraising events and the difference they can make.

In addition to generating financial support, the event enhanced Conwy Mind's public profile and increased awareness of our services with local people – so a win-win. Additionally, it fostered valuable relationships with fundraisers who have subsequently participated in other events I have organised.

Supporting #YourLocalMind through fundraising events can be a fun, rewarding way to contribute to your community. By participating, you become a valuable supporter of your local Mind. For us, every entry, donation, and raffle ticket purchase helped the lives of local children and young people facing mental health problems. Your support demonstrates the powerful influence individuals can have when they come together to support their local Mind.

Find your local Mind online.