RESIDENTS are taking the plunge into cold water to raise money in memory of a Royal Marine who died earlier this year.

Friends and family of Ben Sykes are preparing to take to the cold Bude water to raise money in his memory after he lost his life back in February, aged only 29.

The group is planning to swim in Bude Sea Pool later this month (November 22), two days after what would have been Ben’s 30th birthday. The aim is to raise funds for the Royal Marine Association (RMA), a charity which has been a pillar of support for Ben’s family over the last year.

Speaking to the Post, Ben’s sister Natalie explained: “The idea was originally suggested by Daz Notman, a family friend who we got to know whilst Ben was undergoing his Royal Marine training. Daz suggested I take on the role of organising the event to give me something to focus on which was a positive way of honouring Ben's birthday.

“Ben would've been 30 this month, and his love for water made this an obvious choice. He used to say "see water, get in it" all the time! He has been in Bude Sea Pool in the past, in the middle of winter, fully clothed along with myself, so the location felt appropriate. I'm not sure exactly how many people to expect, but I know his childhood friends are all travelling down from West Yorkshire, and we are expecting a lot of his marine friends to also be in attendance.”

Friends and family are hoping that the event serves as a way to remember Ben on his birthday, while also raising money for a good cause.

Natalie continued: “The plan is to make the day centred around Ben, but also to raise funds for the RMA who have been such a huge support to his family. We will be entering the sea pool at just gone 2pm on Saturday, November 22, to have cold dip in memory of Ben, for those that want more of a challenge there will be the opportunity to swim to demonstrate that individually you can't achieve much in such a cold environment, but when you work as a team you can achieve so much more.”

The group have expressed that everyone is welcome to join the cause, braving the chilly November waters or coming along to cheer swimmers on.

“We will then be getting out and warming up and doing a toast to Ben for his birthday. We would love for as much support as possible, whether it's people joining us for the dip, or simply cheering us on from the side lines,” Natalie added.

The group is hoping to raise £1,000 for the Royal Marine Association, which helps Royal Marines and their families with practical, financial, and emotional support for life. A GoFundMe page has been launched and anyone wishing to donate can do so via: justgiving.com/page/natalie-sykes-2