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supporters getting ready to take on the great north swim

Great North Swim

Take part in the UK’s biggest open water swimming event!

  • Date: 12th June 2026 - 14th June 2026
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Join with hundreds of other swimmers and achieve something special in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District National Park. With a range of different distances there’s something to suit all levels. 

If you’re looking to try an open water swimming event for the first time, check out the 250m or half-mile events. For more experienced open water swimmers there are challenging one-mile, two-mile or 5K events, or take on the 10K to tick off the official open water Olympic distance! 

Secure your place in the Great North Swim and support Dementia UK. Your swim will help grow the number of dementia specialist Admiral Nurses, who offer life-changing support for families facing dementia. 

Sign up

  • a dedicated member of the fundraising team to support you to the finish line and beyond
  • training plans and support to get you event-ready
  • a fundraising guide, as well as fundraising advice, hints and tips
  • a branded Dementia UK top
  • a range of Dementia UK fundraising materials (collection buckets, posters, balloons, etc) to make any events you hold look amazing

Every penny you raise from your event will help our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses provide a lifeline to more families facing dementia – and we’re here to support you with every stroke!

Organising a fundraising activity alongside your main challenge will help you smash your fundraising goals. Here are some ideas:

Visit our fundraising ideas page for more ideas.

JustGiving

Setting up a JustGiving page is a great way to fundraise online. Share your link with family, friends and colleagues, and watch the donations roll in.

You can use JustGiving to explain why you’re taking on your challenge for Dementia UK, keep track of how much you’ve raised, and even share your training progress using Strava so your supporters can see how well you’re doing. The more you update and share your JustGiving page, the more donations you’ll receive.

Gift Aid

If your supporters are UK taxpayers and their donation is voluntary (not proceeds of a sale), we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated – at no extra cost to them. Make sure they fill in the Gift Aid form in your fundraising pack or tick the correct boxes if they’re donating online.

Sending in your donations

If you’re fundraising through JustGiving, the donations will automatically come to us. If you’ve got cash to pay in, you can do this online, by phone, by bank transfer or by post.

Pay in your donations

Every three minutes someone in the UK develops dementia, and too often, families struggle to find support, leaving them feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and alone.

When you support our charity, you’re helping us grow the number of specialist dementia nurses. With your help, no one will face dementia alone.

Read Julie’s story  about how Admiral Nurse Tracey was a lifeline for her and her family.

Your place is self-funded. This means you pay the full cost of entry– then fundraise however you want, with no set target or deadline, and with no cost at all to the charity! Entry fees depend on distance and range from £19 to £89. For more details about event distances and entry fees please visit Great North Swim.

More questions about the challenge?

The Great North Swim is run by The Great Run Company. For more information about the challenge please visit the FAQ’s page on the Great North Swim website.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about your fundraising or would like to let us know why you are swimming for Dementia UK, contact our Events Team on 0300 365 5500 or email events@dementiauk.org

 

See the impact that your fundraiser could make:

  • £ 250

    could fund a new Admiral Nurse

    to run a full day of face-to-face appointments for families affected by young onset dementia (where symptoms develop under the age of 65). 

  • £ 557

    could pay for two Admiral Nurses

    to answer calls on our Helpline on a Sunday, when other dementia services are closed.

  • £ 1 ,250

    could fund a new Admiral Nurse

    for a whole week to support a community where people are struggling to access local dementia services.

Looking for another way to support Dementia UK?

Just £25 could pay for a carer to receive an hour of one-to-one support from a dementia specialist Admiral Nurse on our free Helpline.

Donate today