Skinny dip's leader bares all about how bracing sea dash boosts her health

Jax Higginson leads the event, which will take place at Druridge Bay this Sunday, and brings together hundreds of people in a celebration of nature and to raise cash for Mind and other charities.

The 39-year-old from Whitburn has written about her own mental health issues, exacerbated by a head injury she sustained in a near-fatal accident when she was younger.

The North East Skinny Dip has helped her take charge, while splashing in the sea helps her “feel alive.”

Jax said: “On my worst days I feel like I am drowning and I long for a solitude I cannot find.

“So, when life seems entirely meaningless, when I can’t seem to find any space or silence or clarity, when my pain is too deep to bear, I find nature.

“Running into the cold North Sea with hundreds of other humans at sunrise is a magical and unique experience and to know I created the event brings me a real sense of purpose and achievement.”

Karen Bolton, Mind’s head of community and events fundraising, thanked Jax for the support of the charity and added: “Not only is putting on the event each year an amazing achievement in itself, it’s also a brilliant way to raise awareness about mental health and help break down the stigma that sadly still surrounds it.”

Jax’s full blog for Mind can be found via https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/ and details of Sunday’s event can be found through the North East Skinny Dip Facebook page.