Our aim for this year is to exceed the money raised in previous years and provide The Wales Air Ambulance, as our main beneficiary, with some vital financial support.

Welcome to our 47^th Swim, as usual we have ordered sunshine for Christmas morning. Those who were able to get to Porthcawl last Christmas morning were greeted with sunshine and about 50 metres of lying snow at the top of the beach. Even the snow conditions did not deter the 607 registered, hardy swimmers who again, with the spectators, created another very successful swim. With our supporters help we succeeded in raising and giving away £6000 to 19 local charities and organisations, many of whom find it difficult to raise funds for their worthy causes.  We thank all those who help the ‘Swim’ in so many ways.

This year we are hoping to exceed last years figure and as a committee have chosen the Wales Air Ambulance as the main beneficiary. We hear and read so often how the work of these dedicated crews save vital time in getting patients to hospitals thereby saving so many lives. The Wales Air Ambulance is an all Wales charity providing a vital service through emergency air cover for those who face life-threatening illness or injuries. The charity needs to raise over £5 million per year to operate the service with each mission on average costing £1500.

In the months running up to Christmas our small committee work very hard, trying to raise enough money to fund the cost of the Swim, the souvenir programmes and the much sought after Swim mugs. To achieve our aim of making this the best year ever for our beneficiaries, we are relying on you to help, either by swimming and getting sponsorship to support us and the Wales Air Ambulance or, if you are a spectator by giving generously to our bucket collection; the more money we collect the more we can give away.  Our promise is to give every penny that is collected on Christmas morning via the bucket collection and through swimmer’s sponsorship back to our chosen beneficiaries.

On an official note we need to point out that the Christmas Morning Swim Committee hold the license to collect money on Christmas Day, therefore any collecting or raising of money at the event, other than by our official collectors, is prohibited.

‘Swimmers – please get sponsored and support us – don’t get cold for nothing’