HUNDREDS TURN OUT FOR BARMOUTH RNLI’S NEW YEAR’S DAY DIP

Since the first event held in 2011, the turnout was the largest so far with over a hundred brave supporters gathering at the lifeboat house to take the plunge and raise money for the RNLI.

At 11 am prompt, on the instructions of Coxswain Peter Davies, young and old raced down to the shoreline and threw themselves into the sea. Under the watchful eye of the crew of the Barmouth RNLI D Class inshore lifeboat, the Craig Steadman and the UK Coastguard service, they brought a welcome splash of colour and fun to a grey first day of January 2019. Visitors came from all corners of the UK to join locals in supporting the charity that saves lives at sea, with one brave participant coming all the way from Canada.

After their dip, they enjoyed hot drinks and a warming barbecue breakfast served in the Lifeboat station, and the cannons were again fired at noon in remembrance of past crew members.

Coxswain Peter Davies said:

‘We are so grateful to all those who turned up to take part in this event, our eighth New Year’s Day dip. We have raised over £1,500 today and there is still lots more sponsorship money to be collected, making it another great start to a year of fundraising in Barmouth, thank you all very much.’

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.