We are planning to kick off the New Year by combining our AGM with a social gathering including a lunch and a game of skittles!

You are warmly invited to attend, and we are meeting at the Coach & Horses Pub, Wimborne on Sunday 5 February with the lunch starting at 12.30pm. If you wish to attend the lunch, please contact Gina (download file for details) as she is preparing a list of diners. After lunch, the AGM should start around 2 pm and not last more than 30-40 minutes after which we will play a game of skittles (no experts please!). We should finish around 4-5 pm.

Now available in electronic format! Visit the FINA website (www.fina.org) and download issues to your PC, tablet (iPad) or smartphone. The best stories on swimming, diving, water polo, synchro and open water swimming are just a few clicks away.

The full-colour magazine is published six times a year, every second month.

This year we have decided to bring forward our annual Christmas awards lunch and make it an end of season get-together. This avoids the seasonal rush and hopefully more of you will be able to come.

The date for your diaries is Sunday 23 October 2011 and the lunch will be at 1pm at Loch Fyne Restaurant, 47 Haven Road, Poole. Click to download the restaurant’s current menu which may change as Loch Fyne specialises in fish in season.

We need to give the restaurant an idea of numbers so please book your places with Bob Holman NOW (bob.holman@tiscali.co.uk.

Download this Big Splash poster to display at your pool

Challenge yourself to swim the distance of the Thames.

Log your swims and track your progress for free at www.bigpslash.co.uk.

Ann and Thomas McGrath would like to thank all who attended and donated to the charity non-wetsuit evening at EDOWSC on 9 August 2011:

“It was a lovely evening with a superb table of food and wine. To all those who left their comfort blanket at home, I am proud of you all for joining in the fun and trembling afterwards. Watching the wine jump out of the cups was quite entertaining!

“But on a more serious note a big THANK YOU for the generous donations. A total of £107 was received for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Many thanks to everyone for their support”

Anne, Tom, Caroline and Dee are swimming the Channel to raise funds for the Air Ambulance service.

They are holding a fund raising French evening on Monday 1 August 2011 at the Larder House, Southbourne from 7pm to Midnight. There will be French food, French Singing, French dancers and a BIG BIG raffle. The cost is £25.00 per person of which £10.00 will go direct to the Charity of Air Ambulance.

And to support their swim and their fundraising, our club swim session on Tuesday 9 August 2011 will be a non wetsuit swim - no exceptions. And for those who dont normally wear wetsuits, well - it could even be fancy dress. There will be refreshments afterwards.

Back by public demand, our famous swim trek along the Dorset coast will take place on 7 August 2011. We will start from the car park by The Square and Compass between 9.30 and 10am latest.

If you were unable to join in last year, take a look at some of the wonderful photos of the day.

Bob is changing the route slightly this year. It will be a whole day again, but of course you can dip in and out as you wish.

Come celebrate your love of fresh water on Sunday 10 July 2011, and meet other Dorset members of the Outdoor Swimming Society, with a picnic and swim at the OSS Big Jump at Wareham Quay. This is a free event for all those happy to look after themselves. Invite friends and family: all welcome.

Wednesday 15 June 2011 (8pm to 10pm) from Beach hut 1168, Southbourne (about 100m left of Fishermans Walk zigzag, 1/2 way between Boscombe Pier and the Bistro at Southbourne)

Dorset Outdoor Swimming Society are organising a Full Moon swim - you can swim as far, or as little as you want - you don’t have to swim for 2 hours!

The Regional open water swimming events at Weymouth in July form part of Spirit of the Sea, Weymouth & Portland’s Maritime Festival.

View video which gives some background to the event and what you can look forward daytime and evenings.