MoJ flies the flag for The Lifeboat Fund

Staff at the Ministry of Justice raised £1,463 during their MoJ4Lifeboats Appeal held 18 – 22 June.  That's enough to train an RNLI lifeboat crew member, or to train nearly three RNLI lifeguards.

Two of our senior Management Board members, Antonia Romeo and Ann Beasley, both showed their support for the Appeal. They found out all about how The Lifeboat Fund supports the Royal National Lifeboat Institution when they met several volunteer crew members (a teacher, a geography lecturer and a Government lawyer) from the Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat Station on the Thames, who visited 102 Petty France.

Antonia said: “I was interested to learn that the Lifeboat Fund was actually started by civil servants. I’m delighted that by contributing to The Fund we can all support the invaluable work the RNLI crews do.  I also applaud the initiative shown by the RNLI in coming to MoJ to raise money and awareness.”

In addition to donations from individual staff members, teams up and down the country chose a range of fun ways to fundraise:

• Top marks must go to Sunderland Magistrates’ Court who raised an amazing £300: “We baked cakes, held a raffle, a quiz and a guess the number of Lego bricks in a jar! We involved the staff, magistrates and local court users (though not defendants!)”
• A Finance team at MoJHQ raised £200 through a cake sale including a very seaworthy cake (see the photo)
• Milton Keynes County Court held a maritime-based quiz - and very much got into the nautical spirit (see the photo).

Some tips we would pass on to other fundraisers for The Lifeboat Fund:

• We positioned the RNLI collection ‘ships’ at places in our London HQ buildings with high footfall and where staff get out their loose change – at the coffee points and the staff restaurant.
• The RNLI crew at the display stand drew staff attention by asking passing staff if they would like to try on some gear – an RNLI helmet or a lifejacket. People love trying on others' uniforms and this was a great way to engage them and talk about the RNLI, rather than just rattling a collection tin. They also gave away some small branded freebies.
• We ran a RNLI DVD on a loop in the Atrium, to bring the static display to life with scenes of real sea rescues.
• We produced a top tips guide on easy fundraising in the workplace.
• We produced a flyer explaining the relationship between The Lifeboat Fund and the RNLI.

Quote:  “I live on the coast and have witnessed many times the conditions they willingly go out in - amazing. You never know when you might need them.” - Staff contributor to the Appeal.

Stop Press: Congratulations also to Walter Jenkins, an usher at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, who recently received the RNLI Silver Badge award in recognition for his fundraising efforts. As Treasurer of his local lifeboat station, he set up and chaired a 3-year appeal, which raised an amazing £130,000 to replace the Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI Floating Boathouse.

6 July 2012

Main photo shows: Ella de Breuil, Ann Beasley, DG, Finance and Corporate Services, Antonia Romeo, DG, Transforming Justice, Helen Kite, Ian Greatbatch.
The other photos show:  the cake, staff at Milton Keynes County Court and Walter Jenkins