Safety checks equal cheque for Calshot RNLI

RNLI volunteer crew members from Calshot RNLI Lifeboat Station were invited to attend for a buffet lunch on Thursday 1 September at ExxonMobil in Fawley along with six other local charities.

The event started with a fabulous buffet lunch and then a representative from each charity was invited to give a short talk about their work.

Diane Carrier, Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) at Calshot gave a brief overview of the RNLI and stated: ‘The RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, is always actively promoting safety at sea, such as advising people to always wear lifejackets, be aware of tide times and make sure they carry some form of communication.’

She then provided more detail about the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign which has been running all summer. The campaign encourages people to take precautions and be responsible for their own safety as much as possible. Given around 190 people die each year at the UK and Irish coasts, the RNLI is keen to educate people about the risks of rip currents and how to escape them, being cut off by the tide, cold water shock, and drinking alcohol when on or near the water.

In total £3,090 was pledged by a combination of ExxonMobil agency staff and employees at Fawley, who had been nominated for excellent safety contributions during the first half of 2016.  As part of the site’s Safety Recognition scheme each individual chose one charity from a list of seven to receive £30 on their behalf.  Calshot RNLI was given a donation of £270.

Kevin Watson, Manager Fawley Site Projects, told the charity guests: ‘The work that you do is exceptionally important. Nobody wants to need the services you provide but, when we do, we are very glad that they are available.’ He added ‘Funds are tight for a lot of charities, and here at Fawley we will do what we can to offer support through initiatives such as our Safety Recognition scheme.’

For more information on the RNLI Respect the Water campaign, visit www.rnli.org/safety  

RNLI media contacts

• Joanne Pearson, Calshot RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07780 457731 email [email protected]
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252  [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, 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.