Swim Serpentine 2024

For all open-water swimmers, this is the annual event for you! Taking place in the heart of London in truly beautiful surroundings, we have limited places in all four distances: the Half-Mile, One-Mile, Two-Mile or Super Six. We know that both the Two Mile and Super Six have sold out already so this is a great opportunity to take part.

All finishers will receive a medal after their swim.

Swimming for CLEFT in this iconic event is a fantastic opportunity and is also a brilliant way to fundraise for us. We would love you to try to reach a fundraising target of £250 which you can do by setting up a fundraising page in just a few quick steps on the CLEFT website.

How to register

All you have to do to take part is register your details below and pay a nominal fee. The fees for each race depend on the distance you are signing up to.

On registration, we'll send you a bright yellow CLEFT swimming hat which we hope you will wear with pride!

Please read the Rules of Entry before registering.

Set up a fundraising page

Book a place
Ticket	Quantity	Price
Swim Serpentine 2024 - Half-Mile		Sold out
Swim Serpentine 2024 - One-Mile	Decrease Enter quantity Increase	£40.00
Swim Serpentine 2024 - Two-Mile		Sold out
Swim Serpentine 2024 - Super Six		Sold out

Book

Latest

Alexandra Robinson

I am a foundation doctor who graduated from UCL medical school in 2023, I now work at Southport Hospital in the Merseyside and West Lancashire NHS trust.
Anna's Wild Water Swim Fundraiser

I am raising money to provide long-term, sustainable ways to improve cleft care both in the UK and overseas. Although you aren't taking the plunge with me, I would appreciate support through donations of any size! And with all of CLEFT's administrative costs covered until 2025, your donation really will be going to a good cause, funding an international or research project.
Catrina’s Yorkshire 3 Peaks for CLEFT

Catrina is taking part in the 3 Peaks challenge in July 2024 to raise funds for CLEFT. Support her fundraising here...
Celebrate CLEFT Summer BBQ Event

The sun is out at last so why not host a BBQ in aid of CLEFT this summer? Gather your friends, family, work colleagues and/or neighbours to celebrate summer, dust off the BBQ, have a burger and a drink in the garden whilst raising much needed funds for CLEFT.

Skydive for CLEFT

Join us on an exhilarating adventure that goes beyond the clouds and makes a lasting impact! Take a leap for a brighter future by signing up for a charity skydive with Skyline for CLEFT. This thrilling experience not only promises an adrenaline rush but also supports a noble cause – helping those affected by cleft lip and palate.

Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

We are working with Bangladeshi specialists at the new Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery to create a sustainable centre to treat children with cleft lip and palate.
Our mission

CLEFT was established in 2007 with one aim, to help improve the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate, either by funding research into the likely causes of the condition or by helping support teams in lower and middle income countries.
Nawrin and the C-Arm

This important piece of equipment was supplied by CLEFT and is used to see moving images of the cleft palate. Nawrin is a 13 year old girl who was experiencing speech difficulties and needed the C-Arm to show the cleft team if further surgery was required.
Donate

You can make a one-off donation today or sign up to giving a regular monthly gift. All donations, small or large, will help us to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate both now and in the future. 100% of your donation today will go towards funding an international or research project thanks to a charitable trust covering all our administrative costs until February 2025.
About us

CLEFT was established in 2007 by cleft surgeon Brian Sommerlad - based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, together with a former patient and a patient's grandmother.
Our research vision

At CLEFT, our vision is of a future where clefts are preventable. Until we get there, we want to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate.
Trusts and Foundations

Today, 1-in-700 babies in the UK are born with a cleft lip and palate, the most common form of birth defect. The impact on a child’s life as they grow is profound. Typically, they will need at least four operations. They may also require ongoing tests, treatment or therapy. It will affect the way they look but also their speech, hearing and dental development. It can leave deep psychological scars.
The genetics of cleft lip and palate

Investigations into the genetics of cleft lip and palate to understand more about why cleft lip and palate occurs.
Brian Sommerlad, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Chair of Trustees

For over 40 years, I have been involved in operating on babies, children and adults who have been born with cleft lip and/or palate.
FOXF2 gene discovery

A genetic defect has been identified in a family from Egypt with a type of palate abnormality and speech disorder apparently not previously described. The FOXF2 research is one of the many projects currently funded by CLEFT, paid for with money raised by our donors and fundraisers.

How to register

Book a place

Swim Serpentine 2024 - Half-Mile

Swim Serpentine 2024 - One-Mile

Swim Serpentine 2024 - Two-Mile

Swim Serpentine 2024 - Super Six