New Year's Day Loony Dooks: Kinghorn event cancelled but Kirkcaldy goes ahead

The annual New Year’s Day Loony Dook has been popular in Kirkcaldy and Kinghorn for many years but for the past two years both events have had to be shelved due to the pandemic.

Once again, sadly, organisers have announced the event will not be going ahead in Kinghorn on January 1, 2022, but the Loony Dook in the Lang Toun, which has been arranged by Kirkcaldy Rugby Club for the past decade, will be taking place on New Year’s Day at noon on the beach behind the Basin car park on the Esplanade.

In a post on the Facebook page of Kinghorn RNLI, which organises the yearly fundraiser, organisers said there were two factors which have forced the event to be cancelled – one of them being the rapid rise of the new Omicron variant.

The post said: “We have made the decision not to hold the traditional New Year's Day Loony Dook at Kinghorn Beach.

"This is due to a number of factors including rapidly increasing Covid infections and tidal conditions leaving very little dry beach to allow social distancing. Our overriding aim is to keep our volunteer crew safe and continue to provide 24/7 emergency cover for the Forth.

“We'd like to thank all of our followers for your support over the past year and we wish you all a happy and healthy festive period.”

However, Jimmy Bonner, former Kirkcaldy Rugby Club president, said that the New Year’s Day dip in Kirkcaldy will be going ahead - unless a full lockdown is announced by the Scottish Government.

Jimmy said: “That is two years now it hasn’t taken place and I have to admit not as many people have taken up sponsor forms this time, but I think a lot of people have been put off with the coronavirus. But unless there is a full lockdown, it will be going ahead this year.

"The two charities we are supporting this year is Kirkcaldy Rugby Club, as we are a registered charity, and SANDS – Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity, after a good friend of mine lost a wee one earlier in the year. For the rugby club the money will go towards youth development and anything else we need.

"But like every year people are free to choose their own charities to support.

“The fancy dress theme this year is Disney characters – we have previously had Oompa Loompas, Batman and Robin, Robin of Sherwood and James Bond but after 10 years I was struggling to think of something different, so a good friend of mine came up with the Disney theme which we haven’t had before.”

Jimmy said he wasn’t sure of the exact numbers taking part this year but he has given out over 100 sponsor forms and people have also printed off the sponsor form themselves so there might be people who just come along on the day.

Anyone wanting to take part can still contact Jimmy for a sponsor form on 07792 193 564 or email him at: [email protected]

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