Whitby RNLI gear up for Mayday welly relay
This May Whitby lifeboat station are taking part in the Yorkshire Welly Relay Challenge as part of the RNLI's Mayday fundraising campaign.
Our lit up yellow welly will be taken from Whitby to Scarborough on Saturday 6th May, on a three wheeler bicycle. It will be ridden by our volunteer crew in a traditional lifeboat kit, including a cork lifejacket, to highlight the work of the RNLI and also raise funds for our crew kits.
If you see us on our voyage we will be collecting change on the day in our RNLI collection buckets, you can also make a donation on a special just giving page set up for the event here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/whitbywellyrelay
Please help us to save lives by donating what you can. Any donation, no matter how small will ensure that the 23 people we rescue each day can go home to their family and friends. Your donation puts you right at the heart of our lifesaving work and will make sure we're always there.
We will be setting off from Whitby at 11am, heading through town before making our way along the cinder track to Robin Hood’s Bay. Then it’s time for the last leg of the journey with a challenging ride along the cinder track to to Scarborough, where we will head along the seafront and deliver the welly to Scarborough RNLI.
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.
Richard Dowson, station mechanic, 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.’
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 RNLI is asking people to ‘do your bit, fund our kit’ this Mayday and anyone who wishes to get involved should visit RNLI.org/Mayday to register for a free Mayday pack. The pack provides fundraising ideas, such as wearing wellies to work, doing a sponsored welly walk or cycle ride, or holding a bake sale.
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.
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its 4,700 volunteer lifeboat crew members provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts.
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Ceri Oakes, lifeboat press officer, on 07813359428 / [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.