THIS year is the 50th Anniversary of Tenby and District Swimming Club, and earlier this month past and present members enjoyed a celebratory Gala Day at Tenby Leisure Centre.

Huge thanks go to Liz Clissold for organising the gala, which was held on July 12. So many parents have said it went like clockwork and the heats were so well matched to make exciting races.

Thanks also go to the Tenby Dolphin Volunteers for helping on the day: Ann, Bob Adams and John Amos for starting each race; Team Gwyrdd captains Teresa Griffiths and Caroline Henson; Team Du captains Siân Monan and Lucy Clissold, marshal Claire Gottwaltz, officials Emily Dashfield and Julia Kinsey; Shallow End official Bronwyn Clissold plus helpers Lily Rice, Kathryn Koo and Jess Williams; Matt Clissold; Alison and Tasha Kingsey for help with the raffle.

Welcoming everyone to the gala, Chair Lucy Clissold said it was great to see so many past and present members to celebrate 50 years of Tenby & District Swimming Club.

She thanked and congratulated everyone in their fundraising efforts: The Duck race back in March raised £1,170. Tenby Round Table’s kind donation of £1,000 enabled the club to design and create limited edition 50th Anniversary Hoodies for all its current active members and volunteers.

Tenby Town Council awarded a grant of £1,600 towards upkeep and equipment.

A new laptop, a Tenby Dolphin banner and two fantastic new green club flags have been funded, as well as limited edition swimming caps for every active swimmer and volunteer to mark the 50th Anniversary.

These caps are available to purchase for any past members who are interested.

Swimmers were put into heats based on ability, with two swimmers in each heat representing Team Gwyrdd and two swimmers in each heat representing Team Du.

Each swimmer swam 25m of every stroke starting with Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and then Front Crawl. Swimmers gained points for their team based on how they finished in their heat.

A relay cannon at the end involved all swimmers as a final Team Gwyrdd versus Team Du race.

After the races, everyone gathered in the café/reception area for presentations and cake.

Ann Adams congratulated the swimmers and announced the results:

Winners were Team Du: Ffion Morris, Helen Austin, Lily Morgan, Luca Rebiga, Isla Griffiths, Amelia Stanley, Lottie Waters, Jack Mitchell, Frances Monan, Olivia Dashfield, Iwan Brace, Hazel Monan, Mia Prosser, Ivy Dedman.

In second place were Team Gwyrdd: Ffion Griffiths, Denisa Rusu, Euan Monan, Harper Wallis, Jess Henson, Seren Brace, Sofia Monan, Lexi Dennis, Tyler Lightwood, Lottie Dashfield, Brooke Hope, Evie Goodwin, Madi Hope, Phoebe Davies.

John Amos awarded prizes to Evie Goodwin for Best Overall Female and to Denisa Rusu for Best Overall Male. The accolade was based on how many points the swimmers had won for their team today during the gala, and the team spirit displayed in their performance.

To mark the 50th Anniversary, Ann Maggs delivered a talk on the club’s history (summarised below).

The raffle raised £389.23 towards club funds; winners were 1st Geraint Davies; 2nd Andy Griffiths; 3rd Julia Kinsley.

The club sincerely thanks all donors and raffle sponsors, including Henson Leisure Group, Hydro Dynamic Pembrokeshire, Town Crier Tenby, Underworld Tattoo parlour, Clerkenhill Adventure, Five Arches Taven Tenby, Heatherton, Mannor House Wildlife Park, The Car Guy Vehicle Repair, Wild lakes, Bluestone, Famished burger van, Tenby Post Office, The Jazz, Dial Inn, Natasha Kinsley, Anna Jones, Teresea Griffiths, Lucy Clissold and Tara Evans.

They also express gratitude to everyone who supplied old photos, newspaper articles and Dolphin memorabilia, including the Tenby Observer and volunteers at Tenby Museum. Special thanks go to Ann and Bob Adams for giving the club an original Tenby Dolphin mascot, and to Ann Maggs for her newspaper articles and speaking about the club’s history at the event.

Final thanks go to all the staff at Tenby Leisure Centre, home of Tenby and District Swimming Club, for everything they do.

TENBY Dolphins Swimming Club was the inspiration of Jim Muir pool manager in 1975. It was his forward thinking and hard work that started it off. As the first Coach he was firm but fair, supporting these fledgling swimmers into Dolphins beyond their wildest dreams.

Ann Maggs remembers the club song from that time: ‘Dolphins are our emblem - shiny, slick and smooth. To swim just like a dolphin is something we must prove.’

“It is said that you only needed a costume and towel for swimming, yes, but not for running a Swimming Club. For that you need a pool, a coach, teachers and a committee. So, Tenby Swimming Pool became the club’s home.”

Parents have always played a crucial part in running the club. One parent Ann Adams stands out with her involvement, input and sheer determination in local, national, and international circles. Ann’s knowledge is invaluable across all spectrums of swimming which goes back throughout the Dolphin years and was a big part of the inter-club gala today.

As a teaching club, children from as young as three years old were accepted in small pool. After managing to swim a length, the children would move into widths in large pool. After achieving 100 metres, they progressed to length sessions on Club nights each week. Following that, they’d receive a much-prized invitation from Mr Muir into the squad which trained weekday mornings at 6am. (If you arrived late, you were not allowed into the squad for a week, very shameful!)

All achievements were recorded weekly in the Tenby Observer - from your first width to international fame. “We were so proud of them all and consider learning to swim at any standard is a worthy goal,” said Ann Maggs.

“We were also very proud of our Synchro Team giving an extra style and grace to the girls.”

Later on a before-school Breakfast Club was formed by parents for swimmers who lived out of town.

It was a very busy life: training in the week, then galas, Pembrokeshire League matches, annual club championships, and West Wales competitions or away visits at weekends.

“Coach travel became second nature with many happy memories and adventures of miles travelling along, never a dull moment,” Ann reminisced. “We always went to the nearest chippy, but now I hear it’s to McDonald’s!”

Favourites with many swimmers were the relay galas which promoted a team spirit, also singing popular songs on the poolside, such as ‘Saturday Night’ became a tradition.

“It was felt that a banner was needed,” continued Ann. “No Amazon in those days, so this was handmade by a mum. We were very proud of this but in Ireland the Silcox coach was broken into and the banner stolen. We were gutted.

“Several years later, it was spotted by a Dolphin family on the wall of an Irish Pub - unbelievable! The owners were happy to return it, so with great rejoicing it was brought home.

“In the early days anyone would step into the open races, once at Bristol a mum, unaware of the one-piece costume rule, wore her bikini and was disqualified - even after offering to remove her top!”

Six months after formation, 20 Dolphin swimmers did an Individual Medley of one mile of each stroke, the youngest being 10 years old. Another rare achievement in those days was a 6-year-old, doing a two-mile swim.

“After swimming there was always a rush into showers, (It must the same today as they haven't improved) getting a space became an art form, which without doubt helped make many friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

“1975 Summer Dolphin swimmers were recognised by their white hair owing to the long hours training and the high chlorine content in the pool. (No risk assessments in those days)

“But now their hair is naturally white as they have become Grandparents seemingly overnight.

“Today past Tenby Dolphins are still making an impact local or globally, whether in pool or sea.

“You will find them volunteering as Coastguards, Lifeguards, Lifeboat crew, during their leisure time as movers and shakers at Tenby Aces, training for many events including TenFoot, Long Course and some are “Ironmen”.

“Wow, what a legacy! Putting Tenby on the International scene from small beginnings.

“So, to celebrate 50 years of promoting swimming in this area makes me so proud to have been a part of the Tenby Dolphin story.”