The builders behind the Ger-y-Môr development in Saundersfoot have donated £1,000 to its 2026 New Year’s Day Swim.

Persimmon Homes West Wales made the donation as part of its Community Champions programme that backs local institutions and organisations. It follows a donation for this year’s event and further sponsorship for the swim in 2027.

The 40th Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim raises money for local charities and organisations, alongside major charities, each year. The annual Swim started in 1984 with 10 swimmers and has grown to over 2,500 people going in the sea, with an estimated crowd of 9,000 spectators.

The swim has developed into an incredible spectacle and is classed by Pembrokeshire County Council as a major event. It is also the biggest festive dip in the UK and to date has raised nearly £950,000 for charities.

Its mascot, Charlie Shivers, can often be seen this time of year around the village with event sponsors, and was good enough to drop by Persimmon’s showhome in the village shortly before Christmas.

Saundersfoot Festivities has used the donation from Persimmon to support valuable community initiatives. A £1,000 donation was made to Love Saundersfoot to support their work installing brackets around the village, helping to promote the Christmas trees during December and to showcase events such as the Cawl Trail, with the brackets also flying Welsh flags.

The remaining funding was used in partnership with the Regency Community Hall to help cover the costs of Welsh lessons within the village.

The accredited five-star developer currently has three, four, and five-bed homes for sale from £310,000 at Ger-y-Môr in the Pembrokeshire village. The site, which will include an equipped playground, will have 72 new homes for local people once complete.

Persimmon Homes donates £48,000 to good causes and much-valued organisations across Wales every year as part of its Community Champions scheme. Recent local recipients include Saundersfoot Cricket Club and Saundersfoot Rotary Club.

Commenting, Persimmon Homes West Wales’ sales director, Sharon Bouhali, said: “Persimmon is proud to once again be supporting the Saundersfoot community and its New Year’s Day Swim.

“The Swim really is a local institution and has done so much good over the years for charities its swimmers and spectators support, and we wanted to do our bit as a developer that wants to leave a positive and lasting legacy wherever we build.

“We’ve already started selling new homes at Ger-y-Môr and, hopefully, that will mean even more home-grown swimmers for the future. Best of luck to everyone at the Swim.”

The Saundersfoot Festivities Trustees and the New Year’s Day Swim committee, added: “We would like to thank Persimmon for their donation and support for the Swim again this year. With them making such good progress on site, we expect to see their residents take part in the Swim for years to come – starting with this one!

“The people of Saundersfoot really love the New Year’s Day Swim and it’s a real source of pride for the community that we’ve raised nearly £950,000 for deserving charities over the years.

“This event can only take place with the support of our event sponsors, partners, volunteers and, of course, the brave individuals who take a chilly dip every New Year’s Day, and we are grateful to all of them.

“The initiatives Persimmon supported have been an overwhelming success, and we are delighted to work alongside them to deliver meaningful community projects for Saundersfoot.”