Dock2Dock unlocks the power of participant fundraising with GivenGain

Dock2Dock, the unique open water swimming event in the heart of London, is back on 3 September 2022 with an exciting new fundraising challenge! After the success of last year’s fundraising event, Dock2Dock promises to be another action-packed day of open water swimming. Tickets to this iconic event are selling faster than ever before with the 3k and epic 15k sold out of general tickets already.

For the first time, organisers are also offering a limited number of charity tickets to participants who plan to fundraise for the Sea Cadets as part of the race. In exchange for committing to raise money for the charity, swimmers taking on any of the distances on offer can access a 40% discount on their entry fee – so long as they act quickly.

A good local cause

The Sea Cadets Royal Docks Boat Station is one of the standout landmarks along the swim routes, and cadets have helped out in previous years by providing safety cover for swimmers. Now Dock2Dock is looking to return the favour by turning the event into a massive fundraising opportunity in their benefit.

Funds raised by charity ticket holders will go directly to the Royal Docks Sea Cadets, helping them support and teach life skills to local 10- to 18-year-olds through the traditions of the Royal Navy.

Supporting teenagers who are financially disadvantaged, the organisation relies on donors and fundraisers. Cadets are also encouraged to volunteer and fundraise as part of the group’s commitment to social action.

"The businesses and companies around the London Royal Docks form a wonderful community,” said Dock2Dock event organisers. “Hosting an event in the area is a privilege and we couldn’t do this without the support of this community. The Sea Cadets are one such neighbour who work tirelessly to help young people not only locally, but throughout the UK.“

Fundraising together – or alone

To maximise fundraising at the event, Dock2Dock organisers have teamed up with non-profit fundraising platform GivenGain, preferred fundraising platform of some of the world’s highest-profile mass participation events, including the Boston Marathon.

GivenGain allows participants to start individual fundraising projects in aid of Sea Cadets, giving them an easy way to track their progress as well as their position on the overall event fundraising leaderboard. This always inspires a bit of friendly competition before the big day, as swimmers feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Charity ticket holders can start making a difference straight away by registering a free account on GivenGain, starting a fundraising project and then sharing it with friends, family and supporters around the world.

“We’re really excited to be working with the Sea Cadets and Dock2Dock to help make the event more meaningful through participant fundraising,” says Clara Miret Carbonell, Regional Manager: Europe at GivenGain. “After a difficult couple of years for mass participation fundraising events, it’s great to once again see people turning out in numbers to make a difference and support the Sea Cadets. Don’t miss this chance to take on an incredible sporting challenge and give back!”

The power of many (participants)

Online crowdfunding leverages individual networks to contribute far more than a single person can, and to ensure the success of each charity, event, fundraiser and donor, GivenGain is always on hand to provide excellent moral support, tips, resources and white glove service. Beyond just providing Dock2Dock with a fundraising platform, GivenGain offers a fully outsourced support service, backed by expertise going back more than 20 years. The platform’s team of fundraising experts are on hand to build events’ social impact campaigns, create their online pages, design a communications plan to engage their participants and provide them with fundraising resources and content to keep them engaged.

“Online fundraising is the most powerful way for event participants to support the charities they care about,” says Clara Miret Carbonell. “It’s great to see major events like Dock2Dock enabling participant fundraising. We can’t wait to see what a difference it makes!”

Swim for a cause

Charity tickets for Dock2Dock in the 1.5K, 3K, 5K, 10K and 15K distances are now available from their website, but hurry up if you want to swim for the Sea Cadets: charity ticket numbers are strictly limited! Participants with regular priced tickets can also fundraise for the Sea Cadets or a charity of their choice by starting a project on GivenGain. Get involved in this unique open water challenge and start making a difference today!