Christmas swim gives £1,000 to chair appeal
THE organisers of the Porthcawl Christmas morning swim have donated £1,000 to help raise money for a beach wheelchair for Coney Beach.
Corum Champion, who runs the Coney Surf cafe, launched the Coney Beach Wheelchair Appeal in August to raise money to buy two speciallyadapted wheelchairs that allow people with disabilities or mobility issues visit the beach.
He set up the appeal after a woman, who is an amputee, got in touch to suggest the cafe had beach wheelchairs available to hire after not being able to get close to the sea.
Each wheelchair costs £2,500 and Mr Champion is a step closer to his target after the Porthcawl Christmas day dip announced it will donate £1,000.
The 44-year-old said: “This money will go a long way to help make someone’s visit to the beach so special.
“The beach has thousands of visitors every year, people visiting the funfair, the beach and our beautiful town.
“We have many visitors that have difficulties accessing the beach due to our soft sands.
“Some parents can’t even watch their children take surfing lessons.
“In buying this wheelchair, we are just trying to make what we do here accessible to everybody.”
David King, chairman of the Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim, said: “Now in its 55th year our annual Christmas morning swim takes place on Coney Beach and attracts around 1,000 swimmers.
“If we can help less mobile people access the beach and the sea in future years then this seems a fitting way to distribute some of the money we raise for charities and local good causes every year.”
On top of the £1,000 donation, the appeal has raised £640 through public donations and fundraising events.
The surf shop has been donating 20p from every coffee sold to the fund and Patrick Evans, who runs the Coney Beach Pleasure Park, is hoping to put on events that will raise more cash. The Coney Beach Wheelchair Appeal has a target of £2,500, which would cover the cost of one wheelchair.
If you want to donate, visit gofundme.com or visit the cafe.