Family affair is salute to ‘Dip’ stalwart Vic
FOR one grandfather, taking part in the Boxing Day Walrus Dip had become an annual tradition.
Vic Buffrey from Kidwelly has ventured into the freezing cold sea at Pembrey Country Park on December 26 every year since the event began 33 years ago.
But things were different this year as the 76-year-old was unable to enter the water for the first time after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in January.
In a bid to keep the tradition going, his family decided to take the plunge and run into the sea together in his honour.
His daughter Eve Lightfoot said: “My dad has been doing the dip since it started and it’s in its 33rd year now.
“Every year he would dress up in different homemade costumes and he’d put a lot of effort into it.
“In the beginning there were only a few people that went into the sea, and I two years was remember where it called off, one due to an o i l slick and another because the weather was so icy the road was too treacherous to pass, but he still went in.
“He’s collected thousands of pounds for charity through the years, mainly the children’s cancer charity Latch after one of my cousins died of cancer aged 12. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the end of January so he wasn’t able to go in.”
Despite not being able to take part for the first time in more than 30 years, Mr Buffrey, who previously worked at Morgan Marine before becoming a care worker, was helped down to the water’s edge at Cefn Sidan to watch everyone else.
His daughter added: “His mobility isn’t great now and he does have a wheelchair but he doesn’t use it all the time.
“Before he was diagnosed he was so active. He was almost dreading it because he knew that he couldn’t go in the sea, but he was taken down to the sea edge in a 4x4.
“Me and my sister Victoria have three children each, our families and cousins went in, and our extended family too.
“It was amazing, everyone loved it.”