IT'S the season for giving and one of Dorset's biggest Christmas events is returning to raise thousands for the Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital.

The White Christmas Dip will be back at Boscombe beach on Christmas Day to celebrate their 11th year by raising £50,000 for the charity.

This will be the event's 11th year of charging into the sea for the palliative care unit at the hospital.

Last year the event raised more than £45,000 - bringing the grand total over the years to £175,000.

Organiser Tommy Baker said: "This year we’ve decided to allocate all the money raised to the Macmillan Caring Locally Brick by Brick appeal – the capital appeal to raise the funds to build a brand new Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital.

"Referrals to the Macmillan Unit have tripled in the last ten years and the current building is over 40 years old and is struggling to cope with the increase.

"This means that we will become the largest contributors to the Brick by Brick appeal and we look forward to helping Macmillan Caring Locally reach their goal as soon as possible.

"To do this we need many more people to join in our crazy little event and take the plunge with us this Christmas Day.

"The majority of the hundreds of people who have charged into the sea over the past 10 years have made it an annual tradition. What a way to start your Christmas Day by charging into the sea and raising money for a local charity."

The swim takes place at 10.30am on Christmas Day, with check-in from 9.45am.

Macmillan Caring Locally is a small charity started in 1974 to build the Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital, and to support it in partnership with the NHS.

Trust secretary Neal Williams said: "Although we share the Macmillan name we are not connected to the national charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

"Donations we receive are used to fund the specialist care of our patients at the Macmillan Unit, and those who are under our care living at home in our community."

For more information, go to whitechristmasdip.co.uk