Supporters
I support The Lifeboat Fund
Laura Turney of Scottish Government's Culture Division told us -
"I support the Fund because my great grandfather, John Harrison Cammish, died whilst serving on the Scarborough lifeboat.
"Late afternoon on the 8th December 1954, in horrendous weather, after successfully escorting a number of fishing boats into the harbour, the "E.C.J.R." was overwhelmed by a huge swell and capsized near the harbour mouth, just a few hundred yards from the safety of the shore. Several crewmen were thrown from the lifeboat.
"The loss of lives in a fishing community has a long-lasting resonance that is still remembered and honoured in Scarborough to this day with an annual service to commemorate the tragedy.
"Times have changed, today the volunteers at the RNLI have better kit, better training and better support, and this is due to the fantastic support and value placed on their work; and rightly so."
The RNLI is our favourite cause – The Fund helps keep it going!
Alastair Merrill, Director of Procurement says, my team were delighted to play their part in Scottish Government’s 2011 Lifeboat Day fundraisers.
My own commitment comes from a strong sense of personal gratitude. My wife and her father were rescued by the Poole lifeboat when their yacht got into difficulties in heavy seas and a thunderstorm in Bournemouth Bay. They both are highly competent sailors, but the sea can turn quickly into a very unforgiving place. Although the incident was over a quarter of a century ago, my wife still recalls vividly the towering waves and the sight of lightning so close that it looked like a thick hairy rope. And of course the immense sense of relief when the lifeboat appeared and towed them gratefully and safely back into Poole Harbour.
I was reminded of this a month ago - sailing in an old wooden ketch with my father-in-law (now 85, and a veritable old sea-dog) - around Studland on the Dorset coast. As we returned to harbour to avoid a brewing gale, we saw the Poole lifeboat boring a hole in the horizon to assist with a disabled ship several miles offshore.
Thank goodness for the lifeboats!
I support The Lifeboat Fund
Garry Philpot, IT Test Manager with HM Revenue & Customs says, "I've always been fascinated by boats - when I moved to Southend-on-Sea eight years ago, I was keen to volunteer for the RNLI. These days I'm no longer part of the actual crew because of a knee injury, but I still help out with launching the boat and administration tasks.
"This is a busy resort - there are around 250 shouts a year. My most memorable incident was when an unexploded World War II bomb washed up on the beach.
"There's a real sense of achievement after being out on a shout - all the volunteers feel very proud of the work they do and a lot of people feel a great affinity with this charity. For me, there's nothing like being out at sea".
I'm proud to support The Lifeboat Fund
Jayshree Mandalia, Learning Advisor in IMS and Change Organisation Transformation in HM Revenue & Customs says, "I'm the organiser, treasurer and secretary for charitable causes of in Alexander House in Southend-on-Sea, and I help run the Southend estate charity committee.
This year we have chosen to support The Lifeboat Fund. We chose this charity because Southend-on-Sea's lifeboat station is the busiest in eastern England. It's very much part of the community and close to people's hearts.
I'm well-known throughout the building so no-one is safe, but luckily everyone is keen to donate. I also have helpers to support me. We tailor our fundraising activity to the season - we have an annual Easter egg hunt and we'll be creating a quiz for the Queen's Jubilee. At Christmas, we make up hampers and last year we surpassed a personal best - we created 21 hampers which were raffled off and made an impressive £1,082.
My latest plan is to bring a lifeboat crew to the office and run an awareness day. This will help staff to see how their donations are being spent".
I support The Lifeboat Fund and I'm an RNLI volunteer
Jacqueline Davis, who works for the Department for Work and Pensions at Havant Jobcentre, managed to sit for most of the day interviewing customers while wearing the dry suit. I did take the helmet off! I am a shore crew member of Hayling Island RNLI. Boat crew have to be 18 to 40/45; over this age you can become shore crew. I joined as a shore helper. At Hayling Island we run on a shift system; all three shifts are on call and most of us work off the Island. After work, and back on the Island, if you are on duty, you’re on the pager and ready for a shout.
A shore crew member does various jobs. From driving the tractor that launches the boats to keeping everything clean and ‘ship shape’. There are two boats: the Atlantic 85 and the ILB D class inflatable. Each boat is launched by being pushed down the beach by a tractor. I launch the D class boat driving the agricultural tractor. Boat and shore crew undergo extensive training and most of us are first aid trained. I am delighted to be able to help in this way. Please support the RNLI’s vital work – through The Lifeboat Fund.
Anjela Winson braves the elements
"We thought the weather we faced on our sports day was rough, but it's nothing compared to what the crews encounter!"
Anjela Winson, communications officer for the Department for Education's Children's Services and Departmental Strategy Directorate, donned a dummy crew kit at the Department's Sport Day in July 2013 to raise donations for The Lifeboat Fund. Anjela (pictured with her sister) was delighted at the result: "We are thrilled to have raised donations of £294.46 for such a cause. Despite the bad conditions, people really dug deep for us and the lifeboat crew kit helped keep me dry! This year's appeal seeks to buy sufficient crew kits to equip one volunteer at every single UK lifeboat station - to keep them as dry and safe as possible for their risky work at sea."
Factsheet
The lifeboat fund exits to support the vital work of the rnli, saving lives and rescuing
People at sea, on our rivers and from floods. It does this by raising money from serving
And retired employees of the civil service, British Telecom and the royal mail. We are
Proud to be the rnli’s longest-serving, and one of its biggest, contributors.
The rnli is an independent charity and does not seek or receive funding from Uk Government. Its volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards rely on donations to continue
Their vital role of saving lives at sea.
Each year the lifeboat fund and the rnli agree upon the priorities to be supported through the fund’s appeal.