A DECISION has been made to cancel the Boxing Day Walrus Dip at Pembrey Country Park’s Cefn Sidan beach following an updated risk assessment and in line with new Welsh Government rules.
Carmarthenshire County Council said it had no option but to call off the annual fundraising event following the review and the announcement that all indoor and outdoor sporting events in Wales must be held behind closed doors.
The latest measures have been introduced to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, in particular the new highly transmissible omicron variant which is expected to see case numbers surge in the coming weeks.
Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said: “We are very disappointed to have to cancel this well-loved event for the second year running, but have to make decisions in support of the Welsh Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
“The Walrus Dip is always a well-attended Christmas event that draws hundreds of participants and spectators to Cefn Sidan beach on Boxing Day either for fun or for charity.
“I hope that people will find other ways to give generously and support good causes in our communities that would have otherwise benefitted from the Walrus Dip.”
This year’s will be the fourth time the event has been cancelled in its 35-year history. As well as being cancelled last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, it has only ever been cancelled before due to an oil spill and when the sea froze over.
The event is supported annually by the RNLI, Coastguard and St John’s Ambulance, as well as the Pembrey Country Park team.
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