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First Hunstanton charity calendar raises vital funds for RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

Calendars highlighting a seaside town's glorious sunsets and some of its much-loved beauty spots helped raise funds for the charity that saves lives at sea.

RNLI/Chris Bishop

Glen Piggott with one of the charity calendars on the beach near the lifeboat station at Old Hunstanton
Businessman Glen Piggott presented £400 to the crew at Hunstanton lifeboat station on Sunday 22 March.

Glen, who runs the cult Hunstanton Webcams service online, said he chose the RNLI for its first charity calendar to highlight the beauty of the seaside town and raise funds for its volunteer lifesaving service.

He added while it was originally intended to be a single calendar, the idea soon morphed into two.

'I was only going to do one originally but we had so many sunsets submitted we decided to do a sunset one as well,' he said.

'The 24 winning photos were handpicked by judges in a completely anonymous selection process, chosen solely for their standout photographic brilliance.'

Glen set up Hunstanton Webcams during the Covid lockdown in 2020, when people were unable to visit the resort.

'The whole point of it was if people couldn't come to the beach, then the beach could come to them,' he said.

He added while the website now boasts five cameras, its original one sited on the seafront Waterside Bar remains the most popular.

'It's right in the middle, you can see the sea, when you get high tides you can see the waves crashing over the prom,' he said.

He added while people log in from around the UK and further afield to watch Hunstanton's famous sunsets, a sinkhole which appeared in the prom in early February also brought a spike in page views.

This year's charity calendar sold out. Entries are now open for the 2027 edition, from which a donation will be made to the Heacham and Hunstanton Community First Responders.

The volunteer team, trained by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, attends potentially life-threatening 999 emergencies in the critical minutes before an ambulance crew arrives.

Selected winners will see their photographs featured in the calendar but will also receive a complimentary copy and full credit for their work.

The competition is open to amateur photographers of all ages and abilities, with entries submitted online via the official form online at hunstanton.webcam/calendar-competition.

The deadline for entries is Sunday 3 May 2026.

Notes to editors

Volunteers at Hunstanton RNLI operate both the inshore lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer from their base on Sea Lane.

They cover The Wash, a coastal estuary of more than 200 square miles fed by four main rivers along with parts of the North Norfolk coast.

Crew members at the busy station are on call 24/7, 365 days a year; while their work is supported by its visits, shop and outreach teams, along with the Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Lifeboat Guild which raises funds for the charity that saves lives at sea.

RNLI media contacts

For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219, Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641, or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.










RNLI/Chris Bishop

Glen Piggott presents a cheque for £400 to the crew at Hunstanton RNLI

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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