Wild swimmer from Moray thanks dookers
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A WILD swimming enthusiast from Keith has thanked all the people who have helped her group raise more than £3,000 for charity.
Emma Williams, founder of the Wild Dookers, described the total raised as "fantastic".
The group meets every weekend all year round and during the summer also organises wild swimming on a weeknight.
Emma, a lifeguard at Keith Swimming Pool, says the benefits of wild swimming on mental and physical health are amazing.
"Interest is still growing all the time. We have hit 1700 members in our group," she said.
"We regularly get 30 to 40 people each weekend. We get people coming regularly from as far afield as Aberdeen and Insch.
"We have even had people up on holiday from England come and join us. We have been mentioned on the Wild Swimming Scotland website."
'One dook and you'll be hooked' is the motto of the group.
Emma, a former water safety officer with the RNLI, said a new year dook on January 6 at Cullen raised £200, taking the total for the last 12 months to £3,050. That money is going to Latnem, a peer support group for mums and birthing people in Scotland.
Around one in five people will develop a mental illness in the ante/perinatal period.
The charity provides a comprehensive mental health peer support service for mothers and birthing people.
The previous year the wild swimming group raised £3,000 for mental health charity Mikeysline, although part of that was from Emma doing a skydive.
The total for 2023 was entirely raised through wild swimming actitivities, including a 12 mile sponsored walk in the summer followed by a dook.
The group was founded by Emma at Cullen, but also visits Banff, Sandend, Portknockie, Lossiemouth and Strathlene for wild swims.
Emma is asking for suggestions for a charity in 2024.
The Wild Dookers will be featured on an episode of David and Jay's Touring Toolshed on BBC on February 6, following filming in the Cullen area last year.
Keep up to date with all the group's news at www.facebook.com/WildDookers/
