Jersey Hospice Care: Warm hearts take a cold plunge

Friday 27th February 2009, 2:55PM GMT.

FORGET heart-warming, it was a positively freezing Valentine’s Day for one group of Islanders who plunged into the icy waters to raise money for charity.

The group took to the sea at Le Hocq for a Valentine’s Swim, and their bravery paid off as a total of £713 was raised for Jersey Hospice Care.

The event was kept simple, among family and friends, so that safety and organisational issues didn’t get in the way, and a large amount of the money raised came from shoppers at Checkers, Longueville, where organiser Su Holden works.

Lynsey Beahan, fund-raising manager at Jersey Hospice Care, paid tribute to the courage and fortitude of the group.

‘They were very brave plunging into the icy waters,’ she said. ‘It just shows what a small group of people can do and we are very grateful.’

• Picture: The intrepid group of swimmers warm up after their icy fundraising efforts at Le Hocq