Staff, parents and students took an icy dip this morning to help raise money for their school.

About 30 people took part in Francis Patton Primary School’s annual Longtail polar plunge and leapt into the freezing water by the school’s dock.

Andrea Isaac, the Deputy Principal, said that she had only been at the school for five months – and decided to get into the spirit with a splash.

“I feel rejuvenated,” she said only minutes after getting out of the water. “It was a good cold – it gets the body going.”

Ms Isaac said that she had never done a polar plunge before but wanted to show her commitment to the school.

She added that, while it was “a bit shocking”, she appreciated what the event did for Francis Patton Primary.

Ms Isaac added: “The Parent Teacher Association does this every year as a fundraiser, so I just wanted to show school spirit. I will definitely be a team player.”

The polar plunge helps the school raise money for larger initiatives and extra curricular activities throughout the year.

Denise Symonds, the vice-president of the school’s PTA, said that each participant had a sponsor that pledged money that would later be donated.

The event is a time-honoured tradition.

Ms Symonds said: “I went to Francis Patton and I think I jumped off this dock 30 years ago. It brings out the community and it’s uniquely ours.”

Charmaine White, 43, said she said that she had been swimming plenty of times in January before – but this was the coldest she had ever felt.

“That was freezing,” she said, still dripping wet from the plunge. “My body was shivering. I’ve been swimming in January in Bermuda before but I’ve never done a polar plunge and I feel like this was colder than any of them.”

But she added: “It was refreshing and it’s a good initiative to support Francis Patton.”

Ms White, from St George’s, joined in the fundraiser to support her nephew, a Francis Patton pupil in P2.

She admitted that she was nervous leading up to the jump but was ultimately glad that she did it.

Ms White said: “I just think it brings the community together. It’s something different too – you’ve got students, the principal, parents, aunties, uncles. It’s just a good community event.”

Ms White said that she might do the plunge again and encouraged others to join, but warned, “it was freezing”.

Tanisha Anderson, 45, said that the fundraiser had been her first polar dip and that she found it “extremely cold”. But she added: “It’s for a good cause.”

Ms Anderson, also from St George’s, said that she joined the fundraiser for her little cousin, who is a pupil at Francis Patton.

She sees it as a great way to support the school and for people to get to know one another.

Ms Anderson explained: “It gets the community involved and it’s a way to feel involved.

“That’s what’s important – showing the kids that you care about them, that you want the best for them and that you’re willing to do things that aren’t particularly pleasant.”