FOLLOWING the Christmas day swim in Bude, the town’s Surf Life Saving Club have been collecting any final donations and have announced that they have raised an impressive £11,000.

With the money from the swim, other various donations to the club and additional fundraising efforts from members, they are hoping to give their club house a needed ‘make-over’.

Over the last few weeks building work has started at the club, which has been enabled by the money raised.

The work that has started has been to create more space within the current building, by knocking through the front of the club, to make better use of the space they already have.

Member of Bude’s Surf Life Saving Club, Ella Henwood, wanted to thank the public who have made this impossible. She said: “We just want to emphasise our thanks for the support for the swim and for the club in general. The swim wouldn’t happen and the club wouldn’t function if it wasn’t for the support we receive from the community and particularly our members who put the motions into action. Without them volunteering their time, events like the Christmas day swim wouldn’t happen!

“With the money we raised from the swim, various donations to the club and other amazing fundraising efforts by our members, we thought it was about time for a bit of a club house make-over.”

In addition to the work already started, the club hopes to carry out further improvements to their base at Crooklets beach. In the upcoming weeks they are aiming to repair the roof in the gym; re-decorate the toilets; cladding and updating the outside of club; and eventually remodelling the upstairs of the club.

Ella added: “We will keep you all up to date on the progress of the work going on.

“It’s very exciting times, if anyone has any questions or ideas for the refurbishments then pop us a message!”