Make a splash at Surf Snowdonia and join in the Big Mayday Dip
People in north Wales are being encouraged to join the RNLI’s Big Mayday Dip at Surf Snowdonia to help raise vital funds as part of the charity’s national annual fundraising event, Mayday.
The charity is asking supporters to join them at Surf Snowdonia dressed as their favourite legend and take part in the first ever inland Big Mayday Dip. The family event will be held on Sunday 21 May at 9:30am as supporters make a splash for Mayday and run into the surf lagoon. The event is open to participants aged five and over as younger members of the group get to laugh at friends and family make a splash as they help save lives at sea.
Alongside the dip, the RNLI will be on site ready to share key tips and hints of how families can stay safe whilst enjoying Wales’ fantastic beaches over the summer.
The RNLI’s Mayday campaign begins on Monday 1 May and will run for the whole month, with fundraising events taking place across the UK and Ireland. This year, the RNLI hopes to raise £750,000 through Mayday, which will be used to fund essential kit for the charity’s brave volunteer lifeboat crews.
Deb Mahon, Community Fundraising Manager said: ‘RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews around the UK and Ireland are willing to drop everything to go and save lives at sea when their pagers beep. The Mayday campaign is our own call for help, as we rely on the generosity of the public to help us continue our lifesaving service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
‘We are delighted to be working with Surf Snowdonia to bring this event to north Wales. Both partners share the ethos that water safety is the number one priority. Visitors come to north Wales to enjoy our fantastic beaches and lakes; we want them to be well informed about how to enjoy the water safely.
Andy Ainscough, Managing Director of Surf Snowdonia said:
‘Having fun on and around water is a brilliant day out but it's important to know how to do it safely. Our surf lagoon offers a well-supervised, controlled environment with far fewer dangers than you would find in the ocean. Water safety is a key priority for us and we think it's a life skill everyone should have. By working with the RNLI we can reinforce that water safety messaging to make sure that our visitors and their families stay safe wherever they surf or swim this summer.’
The RNLI is asking people to ‘do your bit, fund our kit’ this Mayday and anyone who wishes to get involved with the Big Mayday Dip should register for free at www.bigmaydaydip.eventbrite.co.uk
A fundraising pack will be forwarded to everyone who registers before the day, but there will be the opportunity to turn up and register on the morning too.
There is a suggested donation of £10 per adult and £5 per child, or £20 for a family of four, to take part and all participants will get an RNLI t-shirt. Money raised through Mayday fundraising events will help kit out RNLI lifeboat crews so they’re ready to face the harshest conditions at sea, with it costing £1,593 to provide an all-weather lifeboat crew member with all of the vital kit they need during a rescue.
The charity is also encouraging people to show their support, and join the conversation, by using the hashtag #MaydayEveryDay, donating online or buying a yellow welly pin badge to show their support.
Last year, RNLI lifeboat crews in Wales launched 1,185 times, rescuing 1,162 people and saved 73 lives.
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Eleri Roberts, RNLI PR Manager on 01745 585162 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email [email protected].
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.