“Norfolk’s North Sea: A Daring Advent Swim Adventure”

A woman has confronted the frigid sea this winter and collected more than £2,000 for a charity addressing homelessness by undertaking an Advent swimming challenge.

Pam Spychal, 70, aimed to conduct a swim at the north beach of Great Yarmouth each day until December 24 this month, for at least two minutes.

She accomplished her full immersions, aside from two days during Storm Darragh when it was unsafe to enter the waters off Norfolk, thus she opted for ice baths at her residence, and on other occasions she remarked that the sea was too tumultuous, so she was merely “wallowing in the surf.”

“Each day has offered me varied weather and conditions. It’s been delightful, but exiting has been the most unpleasant part,” she expressed.

Upon concluding her final swim on Christmas Eve, which lasted roughly four minutes, she remarked: “It will be pleasant to take a break, but I’ll resume [swimming] next week.

“Every single day in the sea presents different experiences. Some days have been tranquil, and the sea has felt nearly welcoming.

“Other days have been exceedingly rough. At times, I’ve been compelled to simply wallow in the surf and allow the waves to wash over me since I could not swim.

“It was more challenging because in the sea you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and observe the birds flying by, whereas in the bath you are just sitting there counting the seconds.”

Pam opted to gather funds for Hope into Action, a charity located in Peterborough that offers accommodation in Norwich to assist homeless individuals in securing long-term housing.

She is optimistic that the charity will collaborate with the churches in Great Yarmouth to establish a residence in the coastal town.

“Hope into Action is teaming up with the parish of Great Yarmouth, including Minster, St Mary’s, and St Paul’s, to aid in placing people into housing,” she stated.

“At a recent gathering, they mentioned that street homelessness levels have reached the highest in many years, thus it’s a very pressing concern.

“I’m truly proud of my achievement and very glad that I raised £2,000.”