A SWIMMING-mad mum braved daily dips in her freezing cold hot tub to get her fix and help the homeless.

Kerry Dawson, 43, got into open water swimming last summer.

The mum-of-two usually swims at nearby Gosfield Lake and in the River Stour at Bures and Dedham.

The latest lockdown meant she was unable to get out and about for her three times a week swims.

So Kerry decided to take part in the DIY Icebreaker Challenge for homeless charity Crisis.

That meant switching off the hot tub in her back garden and taking a daily dip in the wintry water wearing just a swim suit ... and a woolly hat.

Kerry braved a sorts of weather during her month-long challenge.

“The idea was to make up your own cold water challenge,” said Kerry.

“I pledged to do 30 consecutive cold water dips in my ‘cold tub’.

“It was just a bit of fun really. A lot of open water swimmers have been doing it.

“There was Formal Friday dipping with people dressing up and wearing silly hats so for the last couple of weeks I joined in that with a bit of lippy and a fancy hat.”

Vet surgeon Kerry spent at least five minutes a day in the chilly water.

She said: “The lowest temperature was 0.7°C.

“When we had that really cold spell we left the cover off to get ice.”

Husband James, 43, had to use a club hammer to smash through the four inch ice so Kerry could get in.

There are claims cold water dips have health benefits.

Kerry said: “The tub wasn’t as much fun as swimming but you still get the cold water surge.

“It wakes you up and when you get out and warm up it puts you in a good frame of mind and clears your head.”

Kerry, , from Blackmore End, who has two children - Isla, aged nine, and Oliver, seven – admits open water swimming can be addictive.

“I took it up last June when there wasn’t a lot else to do,” she said.

“Gosfield Lake is just around the corner from me so when it reopened I just went along and loved it and started swimming two or three times a week.

“When temperatures started to drop I realised I didn’t want to stop so I did an introduction to cold water course.

“The colder it got, the more I loved it. You come away smiling but you’re not quite sure why – it’s very addictive.

“When there wasn’t an opportunity to swim I had to resort to the tub and thought why not try raise a bit of money at the same time.”

To sponsor Kerry justgiving.com/fundraising/kerry-dawson2021.