This year sees the 32nd Ventnor Boxing Day Swim take place on Ventnor seafront.
Every year thousands of onlookers head down to the esplanade to watch dozens of brave souls take the plunge and run into the cold December seas on the dot of midday.
Although this is a fun event and brings huge revenue to the seafront, Ventnor Boxing Day Swim organisers are asking people to remember the event is put on for a reason.
P.A.T.C.H
The purpose of this event? To raise money for the vital local Cancer charity, P.A.T.C.H.
This brilliant registered charitable trust helps those facing financial problems caused by Cancer and its treatments.
This event is one of the biggest fundraising events of the year and they rely heavily on realising as much money as possible.
If you’re being sponsored to swim, please make sure you collect money for P.A.T.C.H.
How you can help
On the day, volunteers to act as bucket collectors are always welcome.
The Trust is run with just three people, so they need all the help they can get.
All you need to do is collect a bucket to the left of the Met Bar under the veranda. Womble Wendy will handing them out.
A lot of organisation
The safety of swimmers taking part is paramount to the charity and as well as organising to have the beach cleaned beforehand, Ventnor Coastguard and the Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat are always in attendance watching over the swimmers (and on-lookers).
Spare a thought for those not there
Organiser Erika says,
“Please come and enjoy our event, but also remember that there are many in our community who would love to be there, but through no fault of their own, there are also many who will not be there.”
Article edit: 34th amended to 32nd
Image: © With kind permission of Chalkie
