A NEW open-water swimming fundraiser will support a charity based near Worcester.

The Spring Splash will be at the family-run Watersedge, Bishampton, on Friday, May 3 for the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust’s first event of its kind.

Tickets are now on sale for the fundraiser which will run from 6pm until 8pm with experienced and first-time ‘dippers’ welcome to the 11-acre lake.

After their swim, guests can enjoy Prosecco and pizza whilst warming up in the stretch tent nearby.

Coralie Hudson, community and corporate fundraiser for the trust, said: “With the increasing popularity of open-water swimming, we are so excited to be offering this brand-new fundraising event for the trust.

“Watersedge is a truly magical place and we are looking forward to welcoming supporters, both new and experienced at open-water swimming, to enjoy some peaceful time out whilst supporting local oncology families who desperately need our help.”

The event offers an opportunity to catch up with friends, family or colleagues whilst doing something different to welcome in spring with style and support the Upton Snodsbury-based charity which receives no statutory funding and covers Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

Tickets are £35 each, including the pizza and Prosecco, and the horse box coffee bar will be open for hot drinks too.

All Watersedge lifeguards are Royal Life Saving Society UK-trained.

Sisters Sophy Howard and Emily Lang, from Watersedge, said: “No one ever regrets a swim, even on the rainy days.

“It gives a feeling of accomplishment and unites everyone together in one happy place - the water. The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust has such a personal feel and the thought of children suffering is unbearable to think about, let alone experience.

“So to indirectly help support families going through the toughest of times is something that wasn’t ever a question.

“We are full of admiration for all that each and every one of the team does.”

Open-water swimming is reported to have huge health benefits including improved sleep, increased happiness, a boosted immune system and preventing and managing long-term health conditions.

Emily and Sophy launched open-water swimming at Watersedge in the summer of 2022, aiming to create a sense of community but also a place for people to connect back to themselves whilst being surrounded by nature.

They have always had a strong desire to promote happiness and positivity and have a strong enthusiasm for wellbeing.

The trust was founded in 2016 in memory of four-year-old Grace Elizabeth Kelly who died in 2014.

It funds research into rare and aggressive childhood cancers, educates families and clinicians about the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer and produces information booklets to explain to parents and children about the treatments they are facing.

Locally, the trust provides financial, practical and emotional support to families, giving them a listening ear at the time when they need it most.

To purchase tickets for the Spring Splash, visit www.gkcct.org/springsplash/