Hundreds of hardy souls braved the freezing waters of the Forth on new year’s day as Kirkcaldy and Kinghorn held their annual loony dooks.
Dozens of those taking part in Kirkcaldy this year were doing so in aid of three-year-old Cooper Provan, one of just 100 children in the world to be born with the terminal condition rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP).
Cooper is severely disabled and unable to communicate, and needs specially adapted equipment.
Despite the chilly conditions yesterday, supporters dressed in capes and speedos in line with a superhero theme took to the water off Kirkcaldy’s Esplanade to help raise cash for the family and various other causes.
Hundreds of hardy/lunatic superheroes getting ready to dip their toes in the sea at Kirkcaldy's annual new year loony dook. pic.twitter.com/X9pK4BH1Ll
— Claire Warrender (@C_CWarrender) January 1, 2020
The Provan family plan to buy a specialised buggy, a car seat and a bed.
A crowdfunder set up on the JustGiving website has already raised more than £2,800 of its £3,000 target and other donations have yet to come in.
Cooper’s parents Mikey and Sammy were told when he was just six months old that he was unlikely to see his second birthday.
Mikey said: “The condition is very rare. There 100 cases known worldwide. I think there’s one in England and the rest are in America, as well as one in Iran.”
Hundreds of pounds were also raised for disabled Kirkcaldy boy Gino Londra, 4, thanks to the efforts of 11-year-old Jessica Holmes.
Gino’s mum Charlene, a beautician at local salon Bliss, said Jessica’s efforts would help buy vital equipment to help with Gino’s development.
In Kinghorn, around 160 equally brave loony dookers swam in the sea in front of the lifeboat station to raise cash for the RNLI.
The town’s lifeboat had a record year last year with 82 callouts.
Lifeboat spokesman Neil Chalmers said the event had gone well and that £1,295 had been raised for th RNLI.
“As a station, we’re delighted with the support. It’s great to see such generosity,” he said.
The Limekilns Breakfast Dip was cancelled for the first time in 13 years yesterday as high tide would have been either before 6am or after 6pm, meaning dookers would have been in the dark.
It was the first time bathers had failed to dress up and dip their toes in the Forth since 2006.
