New Year's Day Charity Swim

Monday 30 November 2009

Julie-Ann McMullan is again organising her annual charity swim for New Year's Day, Friday 1st January, 1.00pm at the Station Pier. This year, all money raised will be donated to the Children's Hospice.

The swim has been running since 2002, and has raised large amounts of money for various charities. Last New Year £156.80 was raised for the Women for Women charity. In 2008 enough money was raised for Oxfam to purchase among other things, a goat, a cow, a bicycle and safe drinking water for communities in the developing world. In previous years, money was donated to the RNLI, the 2004 Tsunami Appeal by the 'Black Santa', and for a breast scanner for the Antrim Area Hospital.

Julie-Ann explained the origins and development of the annual swim: "this event first started in 2002, when I came to Rathlin for Christmas and the New Year. I had taken part in a swim for 10 years at home before this. This is how I met my husband, he was the only islander who volunteered to swim with me. Then each year for four years we re-visited old memories. Other people started joining in from 2006 on, and slowly the numbers have increased".

If anyone thinks they are brave enough to face the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and have a unique Rathlin Island experience, then please contact Julie-Ann at:
(h) 028 207 60040
(m) 077 1762 7216
(e) jamrathlin@aol.com