Seven Carlisle gym goers are braving the cold this December to raise money for cancer.
A group of regular members from Strength Shack, a gym in Carlisle, are taking on an epic ice bath challenge for charity.
All involved will be going in the ice bath - which is a freezing 2 degrees - every single day for 24 days, beginning on December 1st, with some even pledging to an extra dip first thing on Christmas day.
Money raised will be going to North Cumbria Hospitals NHS Charity and Cancer Research UK.
Kirsten Johnston, 26, from Carlisle said: “I have been in the ice bath just twice before and it is brutal. I was asked to do this challenge, I know that it will be hard but I lost my dad, papa, grandad and grandma to cancer so I know that it will be worth doing. We chose North Cumbria Charity Hospitals charity so that the money raised can go to cancer services that will have a direct impact on the local community.”
Sponsor Kirsten Johnston, Iain Martin, Ellie Turner and Subhaan Shabbir.
The money will be going to the oncology fund.
Jonny Rowland, 39, from Carlisle, said: “I am raising money for cancer research as over the past few years, I have lost one of my childhood friends to Leukaemia, my youngest sister and nana both had cancer, which they fortunately got through, and recently my auntie sadly passed away with untreatable lung cancer. Cancer Research proposed a 12 days of ice baths, but we have doubled the challenge.”
Sponsor Jonny Rowland, Paul Mitchelhill, and Martin.
Although a brutal challenge, there are many benefits to cold water exposure such as boosting circulation and reducing inflammation.
Ice bath facilities are kindly being provided free of charge for the challenge by Strength Shack Gym.
It's easy to fundraise for North Cumbria Hospitals NHS Charity. You can set up your own Just Giving page for our charity or you can pay in your cheque or cash. Find out more on the North Cumbria Hospitals NHS Charity webpage.