Fundraising News
Tuesday, 08 November 2011
11 year old swims 5000 metres for the RNLI
Liam Edwards from Solihull, although aged only 11, swam 5000 metres to raise fundsfor the RNLI. He was invited down to Weston-super-Mare RNLI lifeboat station topresent the cheque. Liam Edwards, age 11, from Langley Senior School, Olton, isa keen swimmer. Encouraged by his grandfather, Barry Maynard, who swam withhim, he decided
to do a sponsored swim in aid of the RNLI. He achieved his goal in a local swimmingpool and collected a sum of £160 from his friends and family.
Liam was invited down to the Lifeboat station on Birnbeck Island so he could seewhat the volunteers of the RNLI do and so he could present the cheque to theWeston Lifeboat Operations Manger.
He was escorted over the old pier to the station where he first of all dressedup in the dry suit, lifejacket and helmet used by the RNLI crews. The dry suitwas a bit big for him but he enjoyed trying it out! Then he was allowed to sitin the Atlantic 75 lifeboat while it was on dry land. Several of the volunteercrew posed with him for pictures.
After a full tour of the station he then presented his cheque to the LifeboatOperations Manager Pete Holder and the Deputy Launching Authority, RichardSpindler.
Pete Holder said; 'It is great to see that the younger generation, even if theylive far inland, understand the need to support us. Every penny counts and Liamis a fine example of the best of today's youth.'
Liam's grandfather was delighted with the way Liam was treated by the RNLI andsaid; 'This is one of the best days of his life. We plan to swim 5 miles nexttime and it will certainly be in aid of the RNLI again.'
Milton Scouts raise funds for RNLI Weston-super-Mare
Sunday 6th February 2011
1st Milton Scouts from Weston-super-Mare presented a cheque for £1,342 to the Chair of Weston RNLI Fundraising Committee. The 1st Milton Scout Group has been collecting money for the RNLI for over 20 years.
This Christmas, the Group, which includes Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, collected the impressive sum of £1,342 for the RNLI. Organised by Committee member Alan Reynolds, they took a carol float on street collections in Weston during some of the coldest weather this winter. They also raised funds in Weston High Street and in Sainsbury's car park, collecting from shoppers and visitors, with the RNLI Weston's ex-D class lifeboat on display. All money raised each year is split 50:50 between the Troop and the RNLI.
Last Monday night Mr Peter Elmont, chair of the fundraisers in Weston was presented with the cheque by one of the Scouts. In return he gave her an RNLI plaque which thanked the Troop for all their work.
Mr Elmont thanked them for their efforts and gave a short speech about how the money they raised would help to provide for the comprehensive training that each RNLI lifeboat crew receives to enable them to save lives at sea.
Mr Elmont said: 'It is wonderful to see how these young people have gone to so much trouble to raise money for our charity. Weston station is the busiest in the Bristol Channel and last year we launched 47 times and rescued 27 people thanks to the money raised by efforts such as this.'
87 year old Grandmother walks the Cotswold Way in aid of Weston-super-Mare RNLI Volunteer Crews
Sunday 30th January 2011
Ellen Bond, an 87 year old resident from the village of Locking outside Weston-super-Mare, set herself the challenge of walking the 102 miles of the Cotswold Way from Bath to Chipping Camden in a fortnight.
Mrs Bond is a long time supporter of the RNLI, knowing how important is their work of saving lives at sea. She set off from Bath Abbey on August 11th 2010 with her daughter and son-in-law Hilary and Bob Winterson. On the first day she managed 10 miles. On each subsequent day she kept going, achieving a similar distance depending on the weather. From the sponsorships she had secured Mrs Bond raised £3833.59.
Ellen said; 'It was heavy going in places but I enjoyed doing it. I now want to see if I can do Land's End to John O'Groats!'
On Sunday Mrs Bond came down to the RNLI station at Birnbeck Island to present the money. She was fascinated by the lifeboats and enjoyed her visit even though she could not go on parts of the Pier because of its dangerous state.
Mr Peter Holder Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat manager said; 'This was a magnificent effort for which we are truly grateful. I just hope I am as sprightly as you when I get to 87!'
Winscombe School make the RNLI their favoured charity
Friday 28th January 2011
The children of Winscombe School in Somerset found out that the lifeboats, although they are one of the emergency services, receive no government funds. The volunteer crews rely on charitable donations to do their work of saving lives at sea. As a result the school's Children's Council decided that they would make the RNLI the beneficiary of their fund raising efforts
At each of the three nativity plays they put on before Christmas, the children made a collection. This raised £230 which they wanted to present to the RNLI.
As a result Helmsman Mike Buckland and training officer Jenny Williams from Weston-super-Mare RNLI lifeboat station on Birnbeck Island attended the school assembly.
Before the presentation Jenny and Mike gave a short talk about their work. This included talking about how to call the lifeboat by dialling 999 if they saw someone in trouble or if they saw flares being fired out at sea. Mike also demonstrated the kit the inshore lifeboat crew use to protect themselves when at sea.
The lifeboat crew were impressed by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable way the children answered their questions. It bodes well for the future that many of the sea safety message were already known to the children.
Headteacher Mrs Linda Grogan said: "The visit taught children a lot about this important service" She also pointed out that there will be further funds raised by the children later in the year.
Weston-super-Mare Row-a-thon a great success
Saturday 29th January 2011
On Saturday 29 the crew of Weston-super-Mare RNLI Lifeboat station and the members of the Weston Fund Raising branch came together to hold a Row-a-thon on Weston's Grand Pier. This was their contribution to the RNLI National SOS Day appeal. The day raised well over £1000 for the charity
Olympic standard rowing machines were provided by Freak Events and Shaun Callaghan the Welsh, Irish and Scottish champion at indoor rowing. The event was started off by Shaun and the Weston MP and Minister for Tourism, Mr John Penrose who both had a go at rowing.
Then the volunteer crew and members of the fundraising branch took turns with members of the public to have a go to see how far they could row in five minutes. The event was from 10 in the morning until 5 pm. Everyone who rowed paid a small donation to the RNLI. Altogether 73 people took part and the total distance rowed during the day was 97.14 km which was just over the target of the distance from Weston to Ilfracombe which had been the set in advance.
Thanks to the generosity of the Pier owners, collections were also made of passers by.
The total amount collected was £1030 which was past the target we had set ourselves.
Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat Operations Manager, Mr Pete Holder said; 'Although the weather was cold it was heartening to see how many people turned up to have a go at rowing. It was also gratifying to see the total amount raised as this will help towards training our volunteer crews.'
Brave swimmers present RNLI volunteers with nearly £5000 from their efforts
21st October 2010
The entrants in the 2010 Big Swim raised money as sponsorship for their race across Weston Bay. A presentation was held at the Captain's Cabin pub on Wednesday night to celebrate the winners and present the proceeds to the Weston-super-Mare RNLI station.
The sixth annual Big Swim took place in September when eight swimmers, who had raised large amounts of sponsorship for their attempt, were unceremoniously dropped into the sea off the end of Brean Down in the Bristol Channel. Included in the group were two women swimmers. They then had to fight the strong tides of Weston bay to reach their destination of Anchor Head, two and a half miles away. They were escorted by Kayaks and Ribs and all successfully arrived at their goal. The times they achieved were:
Steve Collard 59.24 minutes
Andrew Craven 61.20 minutes
Sean McHenry 62.15 minutes
Polly Hunt 65.28 minutes
Mathew Purslow 79.19 minutes
Nick Hunt 80.00 minutes
Rachel Stacey 80.20 minutes
Tom Whitfield 85.10 minutes
Polly Hunt even managed to beat her uncle in the swim!
On Wednesday evening the swimmers plus the crew of Weston-super-Mare RNLI station gathered to hear the organiser, Steve Collard, describe this Big Swim as one of the hardest he had experienced. He then presented a cheque to Mrs Jos Holder the Deputy Mayor of Weston-super-Mare who received it on behalf of Weston RNLI.
The winner's plaque was then given by last year's winner to Steve Collard himself.