Helen's Bay Christmas Eve dip sets new record as Minister among those taking the plunge

Record numbers of festive dippers turned out on Christmas Eve to take part in the annual charity event at Helen's Bay.

Among those taking part was, Environment minister Andrew Muir who attended with local Alliance councillor Gillian McCollum, who was dressed as an elf.

Asked about the swim, Mr Muir said it “freshened the senses” and said they would warm up with an Irish coffee after.

Read more: Couple who met at Helen’s Bay charity swim return for another festive dip

Organisers Gillian and Helen Armstrong said the Helen’s Bay dip has been running for around 30 years, and they have been organising it for the past five or six years.

The swim is done in aid of PIPS suicide prevention charity and the Marie Curie cancer and end of life charity, the sisters said.

“They’re both very important charities to us, having lost people who required care from Marie Curie and also support with their mental health,” Gillian Armstrong said.

“It’s really important to us to have a bit of fun at Christmas and to get people together, a really community atmosphere, and it just lifts my spirits over Christmas, so thank you everybody else for indulging me in that.”

Helen Armstrong said: “I think a lot of people get swept up in the commercialism of Christmas and what they have to do and should do and it’s a very stressful time of year, so to come down on Christmas Eve, to go for a cold water dip so many people find as a way to relieve stress and to bring people together is just really special.”

Pictures supplied by PressEye and PA.