52 Charity Swims for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Nic, Ana and Daisy are three Speech Pathologists from Western Australia who have a passion for swimming and social justice.

They have fundraised $2,280 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) by ‘dipping’ in the ocean once a week for a whole year. A dip means that at least their shoulders must be under the water.

“We thought that the ILF reflected a cause that was important to all of us and is relevant to our careers.

We were also really interested in learning and promoting Aboriginal cultures so when we read about the work of the ILF, we really appreciated their motive and wanted to be involved” explained Ana.

Their coldest swim so far was in late July at Hillarys Marina. The temperature was 10 degrees and as soon as they hit the water, their bodies went numb. Despite the cold, they had a lot of fun going down the slide and with the people that joined them.

The team at Hillarys Marina on the 31st of July, 2022.

“We have definitely enjoyed the colder swims throughout Autumn and Winter as we have found these to be the most refreshing, giving us the feel-good factor afterwards!”

Ana, Nic and Daisy have been documenting each dip on Nic’s Instagram account, @nicolahamilton_swim. The account has gained a lot of engagement and even encouraged people to join them in their weekly dips!

Learn More About How The ILF Supports Indigenous Literacy in Remote Communities

A big group joined them at Quinns Beach.

Ana believes that the engagement from supporters has been an amazing outcome of the fundraiser.

“Most importantly, however, it has created discussion around ILF, and what more we can be doing within our professions to be making literacy and stories more accessible,” Ana said.

Their best dip was the 26th swim in Sydney at the famous Bondi Beach after the group was all together after a recent holiday.

Daisy, Nicola and Ana celebrated their halfway dip reunited at Bondi Beach!

But not all were glamorous, as during one swim Ana was bitten by a “mysterious creature” that sent her to the hospital.

The group also struggled to coordinate all of their schedules and find times that they could take a swim.

Whitfords Beach, where Ana was hurt while swimming, late August 2022.

But these challenges did not stop them! The team has not completed all of their swims, 52 over the entire year, to raise money for the ILF!

“We have really enjoyed the discussions around ILF, as it has sparked new ideas about how we can promote Indigenous cultures in our workplace.

We held a Great Book Swap for our clients and their families and included Aboriginal books or stories that included Aboriginal culture. And we have also enjoyed the social aspect of it, getting together for the dip and maybe having a coffee after.”

We are so grateful to Ana, Nic and Daisy for this incredible fundraising effort. The past year the team has engaged in one of the longest-ever ongoing fundraisers for Indigenous literacy. And the amount raised supports the ILF to provide hundreds of culturally relevant books to children and families in remote Communities.

To support this amazing group, check out their gofundme.