Hundreds race into the sea at Seaburn for Sunderland's Boxing Day Dip 2024

From giant gingerbread men and bananas to peas in a pod and Santa suits, more than 700 people donned their fancy dress costumes to take part in the fundraiser at Seaburn Beach.

Sunderland Lions Club has been organising the Dip since it started in the 1970s, and in 2022 teamed up with city-based heart health education charity The Red Sky Foundation to bring the Dip back after a three-year Covid-enforced absence.

Since then, the event has gone from strength-to-strength and Red Sky founder Sergio Petrucci MBE says this was one of the best years yet as the team were met with a fitting red sky sunrise this morning.

“When we started driving down the seafront and saw the red sky, we knew it was going to be our day today,” said the charity champion.

“The dippers are doing it for so many great causes - this is for everybody.”

Karen Craigs, 42, from Town End Farm was among those taking the plunge to raise funds for Red Sky Foundation.

“I do it every year for the Red Sky Foundation,” she said. “The atmosphere is incredible, it’s great to see so many people from Sunderland and across the North East come out to support the dippers.

“You turn around when you’re in the sea and you can see thousands of people, all there to support.

“Red Sky Foundation is an incredible cause, not just locally, it goes further than that and makes a massive difference in people’s lives.”

Alison Kelly, 49, from Seaburn was dipping with friend Helen Oswald, 46, from County Durham, raising funds for Red Sky Foundation as well as Cancer Research UK.

Helen was raising funds for the latter in memory of her friend Rachel Norris who died from bowel cancer aged just 42.

Alison said: “We started dipping a few months ago with Mental Health Swims so we’ve had some practise.

Helen said: “It’s a perfect morning for it, it’s mint - and so great to see all the support from everyone.”

Deano Franciosy, 55, from Pennywell, is well known for his fundraising runs which he does with a wheelie bin strapped to his back for a host of good causes - and he’s also a regular at the dip.

Deano, who has been taking part in the dip since 2006 for the ICCU (Integrated Critical Care Unit) at Sunderland Royal Hospital, said: “I look forward to the dip every year, it’s such a great buzz.”

Mayor of Sunderland Cllr Alison Chisnall led the parade into the sea, with thousands of spectators lining the promenade and beach to show their support.

Sergio set up the Red Sky Foundation charity with his wife Emma after their daughter received life-saving treatment to close two holes in her tiny heart.

Every year, Red Sky Foundation provides hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of support from many fantastic fundraising events in many ways to support heart patients to help make stays in hospital for babies, children and adults a little bit better