The first ever ‘Weymouth Wade’ a great success!

Weymouth beach was buzzing on Easter Sunday when the Weymouth and Portland Lions Club’s new event, the “Weymouth Wade” was launched. Demonia the Sea Witch from Pirates of the Caribbean and Roger the Lion helped Gina Hartley kick things off with a rousing warm-up session. Over 50 waders then took to the sea and splashed their way from the Pavilion, and then back along the sands to the finish. Waders included the Mayoress, Caroline Churchill and Carnival Queen Claudia Webb, as well as two ex-Carnival Queens, Lucy Compton and Gina Hartley. Several waders were helping to raise money for Imogen and Molly, who also took part, to compete as part of Team England at Dance World Cup in June.https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/imogenandmollyTEAMENGLAND

One of the Lion’s organisers, Bob Underwood said; “This is a brand new event for the club and we didn’t know whether or not it would work, so we were a little bit apprehensive. We’ve been busy planning it for several months and we were delighted when the sun came out and stayed out, and 50 people joined in for the first Weymouth Wade. So a big thank you to all of them to making the event a great success. Financially we probably broke even, which is not important for a first event, however, we believe several hundred pounds has been raised by waders through their own sponsorship, which makes it all worthwhile ”

 

Gina added, “the Lions always run good events and it was exciting to be part of a brand new one, which I’m sure will be very popular”.

The club has already decided to run it again next year and hopefully it will become another great Weymouth tradition, similar to the Lions Christmas Day harbour swim.