Taking a festive dip in the sea and helping to raise global awareness are two missions which can be accomplished in minutes this Christmas.

That’s because the legendary Tenby Boxing Day Swim has chosen Climate Change for its fancy dress theme.

Now in its 49th year, the swim, which splashes out from the resort’s North Beach, attracts hundreds of barmy bathers and thousands of spectators.

Fancy dress is a big part of the swim, with a prize-giving parade of crazy costumes ahead of the 11.30 am plunge.

Chilly dippers will be able to warm up around Tenby Air Cadets cheery beach bonfire and with hot soup served by Tenby and District Lions.

Every swimmer will be presented with a commemorative medal which this year – for the first time in the swim’s history – will be made out of wood instead of plastic or metal.

Said swim chairman Chris Osborne: “Our seaside environment, which we proudly treasure, is under threat so it seems absolutely right that we support efforts to raise awareness of climate change and its impact.

“We hope our swimmers’ imaginative fancy dress will help in this cause.”

Last year’s event proved a record-breaker, with more than 700 swimmers taking part, to the delight of event organisers, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA).

Over £8,300 was raised for various charities and good causes.

DON’T GET WET FOR NOTHING!

Swimmers can collect for their own good causes or TSSA charities -which are Prostate Cymru and the Tenby Talking Newspaper - and sponsor forms can be downloaded from tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk

IT’S TIME TO TAKE TO THE WATER!

Fun on the beach starts at 11 am with festive music from DJ Steve Briers.

The Tenby all-weather lifeboat, the Haydn Miller, will be launching (weather permitting) to watch over the swimmers.

And there will be the traditional kayak race and crazy raft race ahead of the fancy dress parade.

The stampede for the sea is signalled at 11.30 am, and swimmers can look forward to the warmth of the beach bonfire, their hot soup and commemorative medal on their return to dry land.

PRIZES FOR CRAZY COSTUMES

Create your finest fancy dress on the theme of Climate Change and win a prize!

The best adult group will be rewarded with chocolates, while there’s an activity voucher from Heatherton World of Adventures for the best junior group.

The adult solo winner receives a meal for twoand the best individual junior wins a voucher from Clarice Toys, Tenby.

YOU COULD CLAIM A TROPHY…

There are trophies to be won for the top-sponsored adult and junior swimmers, while there’s the Goscar Oscar up for grabs by the highest-sponsored group. Meanwhile, the unique Goscar Rafta goes to the winners of the Daitanic Raft Race, held in memory of Dai Rees.

SWIM SPONSOR

The 2019 Tenby Boxing Day Swim is pleased to once again welcome independent financial advisers, Harbour Wealth Limited of Tenby, as sponsor.