Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Plans are underway for the 32nd annual Walrus Dip at Pembrey Country Park. Hundreds of people are expected to take a dip in the sea on Boxing Day to raise money for good causes. Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised for charities through the years ranging from West Wales children’s cancer charity, LATCH to the British Heart Foundation. Leisure executive board member Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “The Walrus Dip is one of Carmarthenshire’s most traditional and most colourful events in the calendar. Now in its third decade, the event always brings a fantastic atmosphere and gives the opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and brave the Boxing Day waves while raising money for charity at the same time.” Participants are encouraged to dress in fancy dress. Panto season traditionally comes alive on the sands with Santas and sumo wrestlers, pantomime dames and superheroes making a dash for the freezing surf. The event, which was established in 1984, will be kicked off by ...

From sizzling Bondi Beach Oz to shivering Cefn Sidan , Boxing Day Walrus Dippers came from all over the globe. Five hundred fancy dress charity fund raisers braved the freezing winds and icy seas at the 30th annual Cefn Sidan Boxing Day Walrus Dip. They came dressed as bananas, carrots, First World War Land Girls, a bottle of larger, a bathplug and ET. Penguins danced with the Hunchback of Notredam, there were scores of Father Christmases and a rash of daring dos in their mankinis and bikinis. The youngest dipper spotted was five year Rachael Charles from Dafen in a Pepper Pig onesie and the oldest registered dipper Graham Carter aged 72 from Clydach. There was a family of fairies and elves from Merthyr Tydfil raising money for Wales Air Ambulance and banana and a carrot from Ashburnham Road, Pembrey raising cash for the Ebola campaign. The biggest shivering shock was delivered by 20-year-old Maddie Willey from Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, who confessed not even Bondi Beach and ...

An estimated record breaking 3,000 people turned out for Cefn Sidan beach’s 27th annual Walrus Dip - with more than 700 of them dashing into the freezing frothy sea. The oldest dipper was 83-year-old Robert Edwards dressed as Santa and the youngest was Sadie Matthews, aged five, carried by her mum Hannah into the waves, both dressed as Santa’s elves. They were joined by a colourful posse of festive revellers dressed in various guises ranging from Jack Sparrow to the Happy Feet penguins all the way from Merthyr Tydfil. There were a number of brave bikini clad women and several even more daring mankini clad males. The Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council Cllr Terry Davies counted down the charge to the sea and joined in the fun and frolics raising more than £2,000 for his nominated charities, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the British Heart Foundation as a thank you his successful triple heart by-pass operation six years ago. Hundreds crashed into the waves to claim their “I D...

Boxing Day Walrus Dippers charged into the sea at Cefn Sidan, Pembrey, in mankinis and bikinis, chased by scores of Santas, cowgirls, Old Father Time, King Canute and Batman and Robin. Blustery winds and squalls could not deter the hardy 600 souls,  aged from 84 to six, who took to the frothing seas watched by 700 supports and towel bearers. The popular event which has only failed to run twice since conceived in 1984 (once because of icy seas and another time because of a tanker oil spill) is growing in popularity with innovative dippers. Carmarthenshire Council Chair Cllr Sian Thomas has been a Walrus Dipper for 16 successive years, starting before she became a county councillor in 1999. This year she had the honour, as council Chair, of kick-starting the event flanked by Santas Sue Davies and Angela Lewis as the hooter signalled the mad dash to the waves. Cllr Thomas thanked the Council Pembrey Country Park staff for organising the event and made special mention of...

Brave the icy briny on Boxing Day – that’s the chilly challenge being thrown down by Carmarthenshire Council. To round off the Christmas celebrations, revive the flagging festive spirit and face up to the New Year there is nothing quite like the famed Blue Flag Cefn Sidan Walrus Dip. It has taken place every year bar one because of Carmarthen Bay oil pollution since 1987 attracting hundreds of hardy souls – the oldest has been 91 and the youngest two. The charge of the fright brigade across 50 metres of sand of hundreds of funsters in fancy dress takes place at 11am. It is a tremendous spectacle with fancy dress discretionary which thousands turn up to support every year and help raise money for favourite charities. Families, friends and spectators attending with dippers are advised to wear Wellington boots and warm clothing if supporting down to the tide. There is free entry to the Pembrey Country Park 8am to 12noon and certificates are awarded at the Visitors’ Centre for all those wh...