Fundraising Zone
Welcome to the Cold Water Dip Challenge 2026 Team!
You’ve taken the plunge and we’re thrilled to have you with us.
Now it’s time to kick-start your fundraising, raise money, and provide vital support to children and young people with cancer and their families.
We’ve got lots of great fundraising tips, ideas, and inspiration to help you along the way.
We’re here to support you every step of the way, from your first donation to the moment you take the plunge.
Top 10 Fundraising Tips for Your Cold Water Dip Challenge
These top 10 tips will help you dive into your fundraising goal and get your friends, family, and colleagues cheering you on and supporting your Cold Water Dip Challenge this World Cancer Day.
1. Share your page
Share your fundraising page far and wide - the more people who see it, the more impact you make,
2. Tell your story!
Who or what has inspired you to fundraise for us? Sharing your reasons why could increase donations by 36%.
3. Donate to Your Page First
Donating to your own page shows your commitment and encourages others to give too.
4. Team Up for Your Fundraising
Fundraising is more fun and effective when you team up! Invite friends, family, and colleagues to join you and make an even bigger splash.
5. Keep Everyone Updated
Post regular updates and photos on your fundraising page to keep supporters engaged and show them why your challenge matters.
6. match giving
Many employers offer donation matching. See if yours does, it could double every donation you receive!
7. Say Thank You
Say thank you to everyone who has donated to your page and let them know how much you’ve raised so far.
8. Say Thank You
Say thank you to everyone who has donated to your page and let them know how much you’ve raised so far.
9. Ask on Payday
People are more likely to donate when they’ve just been paid, so time your asks to increase your fundraising total.
10. Share Your Page Post-Event
Even after your dip, friends and family might have forgotten to donate. Give them a friendly reminder and share your fundraising page again.
Why your Support Matters this winter
Children and young people with cancer are facing a long, exhausting winter with days spent many miles from home.
This winter, children, young people and families going through cancer treatment will need to make early morning journeys to hospital and weary drives home in the dark. Parents will sleep in uncomfortable hospital chairs and spend hours worrying about the uncontrollable costs of hotels, petrol and food. Meanwhile, siblings will be left at home - their family separated at the most worrying time.
Your support changes everything.
It means the whole family can stay in our welcoming Homes from Home, close to specialist childhood cancer treatment centres. For families, it’s more than a free place to stay. It’s a place that feels like home. It’s having the time for a home-cooked meal together or a mug of hot chocolate with a bedtime story. When the snow starts to fall, it’s the chance to put on wellies and build a snowman in the garden. But most of all, when everything else is uncertain, it’s a chance to just be together.
Cancer doesn’t have to mean families are torn apart. That special moments are lost. You can keep families together this winter by taking on the Cold Water Dip Challenge.
"The support provided by Young Lives vs Cancer was indescribable. When you are in such a dark place dealing with cancer, it's like a warm ray of sunshine cutting through the clouds."
Download your virtual challenge guide
Download our Virtual Challenge Guide and get everything you need for success, from easy-to-follow fundraising checklists and real impact stories to answers for all your top questions.
