Thousands take to the sea in Saundersfoot in fancy dress for the New Year's Day Swim

Thousands take to the sea in Saundersfoot in fancy dress for the New Year's Day Swim 2024

Transcript

00:00 [Music]

00:02 Thank you so much, thank you so much.

00:05 There we are as they make their way off.

00:08 I'm about to introduce to you the person who is going to be starting this room this year.

00:15 Please welcome on stage our former chairman of community council here in Sordersvedt,

00:22 Mr. Martin Williams. Give him a nice big round of applause.

00:27 Martin, do you know what? It never ceases to amaze me.

00:32 You said, I made a speech for you at St. Brides back in the summer for the presentation night

00:38 when it was announced that you were retiring from the swim along with Stephen, your son.

00:44 Stephen is over there flapping like a chicken during the timing and you are here

00:50 constantly badgering me every time saying you can't leave it alone, love.

00:55 No, but it's the village. It's all about the village.

01:00 Chris is taking over. He's done a phenomenal job.

01:03 Everybody, his new committee are up and running, outstanding.

01:09 Martin, you've been doing this for 39 years. Does it ruin your Christmas or do you look forward to it?

01:16 I can hear that.

01:18 Oh, okay. It doesn't matter. Mr. Martin, you were a former school teacher, weren't you?

01:22 Yes.

01:24 And what did you teach?

01:26 Maths.

01:27 Okay. So 14 times 9.

01:30 Oh, too late.

01:32 Too late. Oh, dear me. He didn't like that, did he?

01:35 Anyway, listen, give Martin a nice big round of applause

01:39 because he's going to start the swim with a countdown and a wave of the flag.

01:45 Now, looking at the crowd here, this is the biggest I have ever seen in my 30 years of campaigning.

01:56 Yeah, you should clap yourself. You really should.

02:01 It is just, where I'm standing, it's phenomenal. I've never seen anything like it.

02:07 And it goes right back into the back of the village.

02:10 Anyway, I hope you have a good day today. All the pubs will be open, of course.

02:15 If you fancy a bit of a disco, I'll be doing a disco over the sports club later on this afternoon.

02:22 All the 70s, 80s, 90s, I'll be doing that. That's at the sports club.

02:27 Right, well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I think it's almost nearly half past.

02:36 Gentlemen, we are seconds away.

02:41 [Music]

02:45 [Music]

03:12 Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the countdown.

03:15 Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

03:26 [Music]

03:55 [Music]

04:24 [Music]

04:53 [Music]