MONEY will be raised for Bantham Surf Lifesaving Club and Bantham Sailing Club’s learn to sail scheme as part of this year’s Pub2Pub aquathon.

Since 2014, £23,000 has been raised for these two local causes with the aim to increase that sum this year.

So what is Pub2Pub? It was devised in Dubai and held in Devon, or as the organisers eventually nicknamed it, Hevon. Here is all you need to know about the event in question.

In 2014, the Round Burgh Island swim was cancelled, and this left a crowd of friends from Dubai Masters Swimming Club feeling let down, so they decided to organize their own event.

Over quite a few glasses of overpriced and indifferent wine, Patrick, Ruth and Humph set their minds to creating an event that was slightly eccentric, competitive (for those who wanted that sort of thing), not vulnerable to British weather, which ended with a party, and so the Pub2Pub was born.

They describe the Pub2Pub as a 2.2km swim from The Pilchard Inn with a very fast stream to The Quay, Bantham, followed by a short sharp run up the hill to The Sloop where there is a pint and pasty waiting for every participant. However, non-runners need not be put off - only the first few participants actually run to The Sloop, most people walk up the lane chatting.

Initially, they wanted to start the Pub2Pub with everyone downing a tot of rum but common sense prevailed and the decision was made to hold off the drinking until swimmers arrived at The Sloop. In the first year, Hurricane Bertha blew through and helped prove that it was possible to hold the Pub2Pub in all conditions.

To ensure everyone feels included, each participant chooses a village to represent and so as well as individual prizes (highly coveted Pub2Pub mugs), there is a team prize for the best village (a large tin of chocolates).

The trophies for the fastest man and woman were made by Pete Lawrence, a volunteer lifeguard at BSLC. He used 3,000-year-old wood retrieved from a bog in Ireland and these gorgeous trophies are kept on display at The Sloop along with the Village Cup. Ruth and co are proud that top swimmers and triathletes swim alongside more recreational participants, including one year a guy in pink shorts with an inflatable crocodile.

Ruth, Patrick and Humph may have lived in Dubai when the idea was conceived, but between them they have holidayed in Bantham for over 100 years in total. Bantham, Thurlestone, West Buckland and Bigbury are part of their souls and make up the aforementioned Hevon.

More information for the event can be found at https://www.pub2pub.co.uk/.