Scarborough Lions’ invitation to fundraisers to join annual New Year’s Day Dip

Established for over two decades, the seasonal fundraising event on the South Bay beach adjacent to the RNLI Lifeboat Station, now attracts some 150+ entrants and thousands of spectators.

Accompanying the town’s traditional Boxing Day beach and harbour events, the Dip has become increasingly popular, evolving into the area’s major attraction on January 1st each year.

All participants are invited to be in the optional fancy dress competition with prizes for the best male, female, couple and group costumes.

Organisers wish to highlight that the sponsorship format has been changed this year with the dipper paying an entrance fee of £10 a single entrant, £18 for a couple and £30 for a group of three or more, children under 10 years old are free.

100% of the sponsor money collected by the dipper/dippers will now be their responsibility to pay over to their nominated charity. (Previously 25% of sponsor money collected by the dipper went to Scarborough Lions.)

Those wishingto take part are requested to register their interest at [email protected] (Dip Co-ordinator) from whom they will then be given a dedicated registration number for themself/couple or group plus the Lloyds Scarborough Dip bank account details to pay their registration fee into.

On receipt of their payment, dippers unique number will be recognised, and sponsor forms, timetable and general instructions will be sent to them.

On the day, changing facilities will be available at Scarborough Rowing Club with registration number identification commencing outside the RNLI Lifeboat Station from 10.30am onwards, when the Dipper will be given a Certificate of Dipping.

At 12.30pm participants will be called to the beach start point area for the fancy dress competition which will be judged by The Mayor and the Town Crier, with the countdown to the event at 12.45pm.

Scarborough Lions event organiser and past-President Alan Deacon stated: “The New Year Dip is a family as well as an individual event inviting all to take part, providing the younger element is accompanied by an adult.

“We are grateful to the Mountain Rescue, Sub Aqua, Rowing Club, Town Mayor, Town Crier and Lifeboat House for their support and help to keep the day safe and enjoyable.

“We are hoping the new sponsorship system will make the “money” side of the day a simple and more straightforward method of getting the Dippers sponsorship payments to their nominated charity, this being 100% of what they collect, with the registration fee going into the Lions charity account for use to help local needs.”

Friends, family and spectators intending to attend are reminded to be aware that the announced scheduled times are approximate and in order to avoid disappointment, to arrive early for the event.