Smiling, shivering, and wet, with limp Santa hats stuck to their heads and giant fruit costumes hanging from their bodies is how hundreds of people in Lowestoft spent Christmas Day last year.

They braved the Christmas Charity Swim, an annual dip in the North Sea to raise money for good causes.

And this year, the cause could be yours as the festive swim is looking for local beneficiaries for 2014.

The swim dates back more than 35 years and was saved last year by the Sentinel Leisure Trust, which runs leisure services in Waveney on behalf of the district council.

Trust chairman Andy Wilson-Sutter said: 'After seeing the appreciation of the beneficiaries last year and what difference the contributions meant for them, their projects and the many people that rely on volunteer services such as those, we are looking to make this year bigger and better than before.'

Stuart Everett, managing director of the trust, added: 'Lowestoft's Christmas Day Swim is a much anticipated community event that raises considerable amounts of money to support local charities and organisations that provide much needed services to local people.

'This year we hope to raise even more than last year's £6,419 and are looking for worthy causes to be this year's beneficiaries.'

The trust has set up an application form and acceptance criteria for any organisation that would like to be considered.

This year's criteria states that organisations must be located in, or operate for the benefit of residents in Lowestoft, and organisations must be either a charity or a not-for-profit entity.

Forms can be downloaded at www.sltrust.co.uk and sent to 2014 Christmas Day Swim, C/O Lucie Fellingham, Sentinel Leisure Trust, Waterlane Leisure Centre, Water Lane, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2NH or e-mail lucie.fellingham@sentinellt.co.uk

Are you organising a charity event? Email mark.boggis@archant.co.uk

Swimmers brave the sea at last year's Christmas Day Charity Swim. Now, the Sentinel Leisure Trust is inviting applications from local organisations to be considered as beneficiaries for the 2014 event. Picture: james bass