Deaf Education expert takes an Arctic Dip for charity

03 Mar 2014

University of Manchester academic, Professor Wendy McCracken, took part in an 'Arctic Dip' earlier this month in aid of two charities.

Appointed in 2012 as the only Professor of Deaf Education in the UK, Professor McCracken, based in the School of Psychological Sciences, travelled to Finland to take part in this unusual challenge.  There, she and a group of other volunteers, sailed out into the Baltic Sea on an Icebreaker boat, where they donned Arctic survival suits before being lowered into the water for their icy dips.

Describing the experience as 'surreal', Professor McCracken said:

"The survival suit did its job and I was able to happily paddle around with chunks of ice floating across me and feel warm and safe.  Getting out was less glamorous, I was firmly dragged by one arm on to the ice pack landing rather like a beached whale.  Once up on my feet the feeling of exhilaration was almost overwhelming.  Afterwards, walking on the pack ice in regular snow gear, it really did feel cold, it was snowing and there was a wind that battered into your face, but I wanted to see just how amazing the icebreaker looked."

After the dip, the group had a warming and celebratory drink before returning to the mainland.

The Charities

The Professor took part in the dip to raise money for two charities close to her heart, Music for the Deaf and Girlguiding Stockport.

Keep on Giving

If anyone would like to donate, contributions are being taken for a further two months.  Please visit:

• Wendy McCracken's Virgingiving Fundraising Page or go the the Arctic Dip Facebook page.