Recipients of the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim charitable presentations, were delighted to gather at the awards ceremony this month, hosted by the seaside village’s Sailing Club, with the 2025 event raising over £30,000 for worthy causes.

At the presentations, NYDS committee chair Chris Williams welcomed honoured guests, brave swimmers, generous sponsors, hardworking charity workers, swim volunteers and congratulated everyone for supporting the biggest festive swim to date and thanked the 2623 swimmers who registered their donation to enter online.

He said that without their donation, the NYDS wouldn’t be able to donate to as many worthwhile charities and organisations.

“As chair, I would like to thank everyone involved for making New Year’s Day the best day of the year in the village. We haven’t been blessed with particularly great weather for a few New Year’s Day Swims, however the whole community always comes out in force for such a special day,” said Chris.

“The village has a buzz days before the swim with the village bustling and hospitality receiving a much-needed boost. Accommodation is fully booked and having 2623 swimmers is incredible for a small village.

“Work is already underway for 2026 NYDS and hopefully we will continue to improve year on year and distribute even more money to local charities & organisations. NYDS want to support as many Saundersfoot organisations & charities as possible, along with the swimmers’ charities.

“Tonight, I would like to welcome chairman of Saundersfoot Community Council and fellow County Councillor Alec Cormack to help present the cheques along with Nicola Hurst, manager of Travel Chapter and main sponsor of the New Year’s Day Swim,” he continued.

“This swim wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of its committee who work tirelessly 12 months a year for this event, this event has grown and so has the responsibilities and jobs. Without a team effort this swim wouldn’t be what it is today.

“With the additional income stream from the online ticketing we are now protecting the future of the swim and also generating extra money for the many charities and worthwhile causes.

“I would also like to thank our main sponsor Travel Chapter and their manager Nicky Hurst who have been part of this journey for over 25 years. Claire at Coors Brewery for sponsoring the community event this year at the Regency Hall and Saundersfoot Sports Club for their support.

“It is the generosity of our sponsors, over 40 in total, that enable us to donate every penny raised by the swimmers to the various charities along with monies raised from bucket collections and revenue from merchandise. Without the incredible support of the sponsors this event wouldn’t be possible.

“I would also like to thank Hean Castle Estate who gave permission to use their land, and continue to generously donate all the car parking charges made on Jan 1st totalling £1550, and Saundersfoot Harbour for their assistance on the day, use of their land and kind donation of £250,” continued Chris.

Thanks was also given to - The bucket collectors, volunteers, safety marshals, walking football team, Sally and Alistair from Salt on the Strand (for their incredible support all year with merchandise and registration).

Phil Odley for supplying refreshments to the safety marshals. Andrew Evans for letting us use his land for the swim registration hut, Dan Eddison for mains electrical supply and land.

Richard Merriman for his support with the JCB to ensure the slipway and sand levels were safe for swimmers. Anthony Phillips and Dan Roach for their support for slipway access and beach. Kevin Lloyd for his excellent commentary through the event. Rhodri Lewis for entertaining the thousands.

Justin Richards for being Charlie Shivers on the day and the full package can be loaned out for children’s parties. West coast Fireworks for starting the swim off. Caldey Construction for their vehicle.

Also, thanks went to all the residents and businesses on The Strand for supporting the road closure on the day. Without their support, it wouldn’t be possible to run the New Year’s Day Swim.

Thanks also goes to event partners - Tenby Surf and Rescue, Pembroke Paddlers, Saundersfoot Sailing Club, HM Coast Guard and the RNLI (who provide the water safety cover). St John’s Ambulance, Tenby Fire Brigade, and the Police who assist with emergency cover and Pembrokeshire County Council.

The NYDS website and Facebook team of Vicky, Bryony and Charlotte who have all done an incredible job this year.

Taf Valley Coaches/Gareth Hurlow, for providing a park and ride scheme from Kilgetty. The harbour staff for their assistance on the day and lastly to Gareth Davies - swim photographer who was presented with a medal as he has been part of the NYDS journey for 35 years.

Donations were made to the following charities and organisations: Pembrokeshire Paddlers £750, Tenby Surf and Rescue £1000, Saundersfoot Sailing Club £750, RNLI Saundersfoot £900, Tenby Fire Station £500, Saundersfoot Youth Club £500, Regency Rompers – run by the bridge £500, Saundersfoot Rotary £1000, Saundersfoot in Bloom £1000, Dementia Saundersfoot & Tenby - Wednesday Club £500, Saundersfoot Footlights £1000, Wales Air Ambulance £700, Talking Newspaper Saundersfoot £500, New Hedges/Saundersfoot United Football Club £500, Saundersfoot Bowling Club £500, Saundersfoot Cricket Club £500, Saundersfoot Guides £300, Saundersfoot Rainbows £300, Tenby and Saundersfoot First Responders £500, Guide Dogs for the Blind – Saundersfoot branch £500, Saundersfoot Cancer branch £500, Wisemans bridge Rowing Club £250, The Lonely Tree Saundersfoot £200, Saundersfoot Walking Football team over 60s £500, Saundersfoot – Côr y Môr choir £500, Greenacres Animal Rescue £400, Havoc- in memory of Gareth Allen £250, Robotic Arm Surgery at the Heath Hospital in memory of Terry Pugh £250, Cast of Escape Music Theatre – Sam Hughes £500, Kick & Catch – in memory of Faddy £100.

There were some additional swimmers who donated to various charities which was also topped up by bucket collections from the day:

Adrian Crowley £200 for British Heart Foundation/Wales Air Ambulance/RNLI, Marian Paturel £670 Saundersfoot Play Group, Molly Beynon £400 Greyhound Trust, John Joseph £250 Cancer Research Saundersfoot branch, Tom Young £150 The Brain Tumour Charity, Chris and Charlotte Ryan £250 for RNLI /Wales Air Ambulance, Jennifer Mosely £350 Pembroke RFC Pembroke Panthers, Kyle Gentry £200 Guide Dogs for the Blind, Delwyn McCarthy £250 Dementia UK, Linda Broomfield £275 Tiny Tickers, Sharon Ellis £275 Dementia UK in remembrance of Graham Button, Jayne Greenham £250 CRY Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), Andy Griffiths and Libbie Stewart-Walvin £400 Saundersfoot Footlights, Phil Thomas/Sailing Club & Rowing clubs/Numb Nuts group £500 for Macmillan & £500 for Adam’s Bucket Full of Hope, SW Morris £750 The Wish Fund, Jason Harris/ Saundersfoot & New Hedges Football Club £550, Chris and Maddie Williams £200 Huntington’s, Paula Otton £150 CRY, Sera Howells & Lydia Jones £150 Wales Air Ambulance, Vicky Kania £100 Friends of Templeton School. Jason Lewis £760 South Pembs Sharks RFC, Tina Williams £2100, Maggie’s Cancer Support Services, Vicky Kania £200 Friends of Templeton School, Sarah Hitching £1244 Cancer Research UK, Parveen Kholi £1165 Brain Tumour Charity, Sharon Jones £1045 World Orphan Lung Disease, Andrea Thomas £125 Sarcoma UK, Joanna Bayliss £240 Summer event, Kayleigh Taylor £160 Lean on Me, Megan Rees £261.25 Building Hero’s Education Foundation, April Liddell £865 Shout 85258.

A special thanks went to the following Sponsors for their continued support: Travel Chapter, Molson Coors, Taf Valley Coaches, Pembrokeshire Osteopathy, Ocean Beach grill Ltd, Neil Finlay Cars, Saundersfoot Sports and Social Club, Sip and Sea, The Stone Crab, Tazrock, Big Brums, Pro Waste, CBS, Pembs Laundry Services, Capitan Property Services, The Silver Lily, Tredeml Print, Luxury Lodges, Trueform Ltd, M&M Windows, Lewis and Lewis Solicitors, Sunnyvale Holiday Park, Folly Farm, Broughton Caravans Ltd, Scaffold 2000, Simon Fussell & Son Builders, The Royal Oak , Elston Construction, Saundersfoot Harbour, Hean Castle Estate , One Formula Fitness, Harbwr Consulting, Welsh Coast Maintenance, Caldey Construction, Infinite Electrical, Bryn Group, Morgan Construction, WD Lewis, The Hean Castle Inn , The Harbwr Bar, The Chemist Inn, Portabella, The Spar Saundersfoot, Club Cymru, The Salty Spaniel, Sea and Steam Mobile Sauna Saundersfoot, The Pembrokeshire Marketing Co, Kania Digital, Charlie’s Toys, Castle Homes, Pembrokeshire Engineering, and First Cymru.

Lastly, Chris commented: “I would like to inform you, that Saundersfoot Festivities LTD is a not for profit organisation, which is made up of three incredible events - NYDS- New Year’s Day Swim, TenFoot Swim & SaundersFEST.

“During the last 12 months we have distributed an incredible £84.244.26. This wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, dedicated volunteers who run these events and also to everyone locally and further afield who support these fantastic charity events.

“We as a committee have a sense of responsibility with the swim and we will always endeavour to do our best for the community, we are just custodians of this incredible event.

“As I mentioned previously, work is underway for the 2026 swim in which we will be celebrating 40 years.

“We hope to donate more and bigger cheques to charities and organisations and hopefully you will be able to support us in making the 2026 swim the biggest and most successful to date,” he added.