Joseph Kotrie-Monson, from Salford, is taking the plunge at this year’s Tyumen Open Cup Winter Swimming Competition (10-15 December) to fight youth homelessness.
The 35-year old lawyer will be swimming in sub-zero temperatures to raise money for UK charity Centrepoint and an orphanage in Russia.
The event will take place in Siberia, where temperatures can reach -30 degrees in winter and water temperatures will be a cool -0.4. Ice swimming, also known as winter swimming, is the world’s fastest growing extreme sport. Joseph, the self-dubbed “Average Ice Swimmer”, will be participating to help Centrepoint keep young homeless people out of the cold this Christmas. Many of these 15,000 young homeless people will be especially at risk, taking desperate measures whilst searching for a short term solution to their housing issues.
Joseph, a last minute addition to Team GB, said: “I’m terrified. I feel like I’m swimming with a snorkel and arm bands as training to dive and see the wreckage of the Titanic. The great thing about doing this for charity is that no matter how scared I am I can’t back out.”
“I walk home sometimes late and I see teenage children, huddled together for warmth and sleeping out. The idea that we’re allowing that to happen in a civilised society is abhorrent. I think a society that allows children to be living on the street is not a society I want to be living in.”
Centrepoint is the leading youth homelessness charity in the country, supporting over 7,800 young homeless people a year. The charity provides not only a safe place to stay, but also vital help in tackling physical and mental health problems caused by homelessness and support in finding a job or a route back into education.
Joseph hopes to raise £1500. A donation has kindly been made by Mary Monson Solicitors to cover all the overheads, so all proceeds will be going directly to the charities.
Martyn Paré-Hall, Senior Events Production and Finance Manager at Centrepoint said: “Swimming in sub-zero temperatures is an exceptionally brave thing to do, but Joseph knows it is nothing compared to terrifying situations some of the 15,000 young homeless people will face this Christmas as they take desperate measures to get off the streets.
“Thanks to members of the public, like Joseph, Centrepoint are able to provide more than just a safe place to stay, but also vital help in tackling physical and mental health problems caused by homelessness and support in finding a job or a route back into education.”
