€10,000 raised in charity swim

A total of 247 people braved the cold jellyfish infested waters in Balluta this morning and jumped into the waters to raise funds for charity. They were taking part in the 14th edition of the Thomas Smith Charity Swim, whcih this year raised €10,000 in aid of The Malta Community Chest Fund and L-Istrina. The swimmers were aged between 11 and 76.  Launching the event, President Dr George Abela thanked Thomas Smith for organising the swim on an annual basis and encouraged the swimmers before they jumped into the cold winter sea. The Charity Swim was first held in 1999 as a brainchild of Anton Buttigieg and some of his friends, who showed their appreciation by collecting a small sum of money in aid of charity in return for Mr Buttigieg’s winter swim during the Christmas season 13 years ago.