Hayling Island RNLI Lifeboat Station is very glad that Mayville School in Southsea nominated the station as its ‘charity of the year.’
They have been working hard to cook, write, run and swim and via sponsorship have raised a magnificent £2,600 which, for a school with only 500 on roll, is remarkable.
Each year the Junior School Council decides on a charity to support and because of a link between one family and the Hayling Island RNLI Lifeboat Station, this year they chose the RNLI. As part of the year they wanted to raise pupils' awareness of what the RNLI does so they have visited the station a number of times with different aged pupils and have enjoyed meeting crew members, seeing the equipment and gear, and the lifeboats.
Alongside these visits they have been busy with a whole variety of events. Early in the year their Pancake Day made £125. Then they held a Writing Day to create the lyrics for a song with a nautical theme that the teacher’s band could perform. They are still hoping to record this and sell the CD’s.
The sponsored mile run brought in an amazing £1,300, but perhaps the most imaginative challenge was to ‘Swim the English Channel.’ Not the real Channel, but for 140 pupils aged 7-11 to collectively swim a total of 1,464 lengths of the swimming pool which was calculated as being the shortest route across the Channel. In fact 140 youngsters between 7-11 years of age swam over 3,000 lengths which represented crossing the Channel and coming back again. Their sponsorship of this ‘big swim’ raised over £500.
Their recent School Fete added some more cash to bring it to a total of £2,600. At the final School Assembly on July 13 in St Simon’s Church they presented the cheque to crew member Kara Parry and Hayling Island RNLI's Keith Holmes. Both of them had co-hosted the groups on their visits.
Keith said: ‘I really looked forward to seeing the next group of children as they were a delight to show round. They were fascinated by the safety gear and the lifeboats. We are very grateful for this donation which will help us to go on saving lives at sea.’
Daren King, Deputy Head at Mayville school said: ‘The pupils have made a tremendous effort and loved coming to see the station. We are delighted to be supporting the RNLI and its work and we have had great fun alongside this fundraising.’
Notes to editors
• Photo caption: Mayville School presentation ;LtoR Alfred McDonald, Kara Parry (crewmember) Ella Powles, Keith Homes (Communications Assistant), Daren King (Deputy Head), Molly-Mae Richardson and Liam Callaghan. Mayville Visit Lto R Lucas Stephanuti and Oliver Terry on the D-Class boat
• Hayling Island has 2 inshore lifeboats; an Atlantic 85, B class lifeboat, and a small D class lifeboat.
• In 2009 Hayling Island Lifeboat Station was the 6th busiest station around the UK and Republic of Ireland with 120 launches rescuing 119 people.
• For more information about Hayling Island lifeboat station go to www.haylinglifeboats.org.uk
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Alan Bartlett, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 02392 463441 or 07749 061220 or email pressofficer@haylinglifeboats.org.uk Alternatively contact Tim Ash, Divisional Media Relations Manager (South East and London), on 0207 6207426 or 07785296252, email: tim_ash@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789