RNLI hoping to gobble up the competition in animated Turkey Dash charity race

Turkey Dash will see an elite field of CGI turkeys – one representing each charity – undergo vigorous training powered by online donations from the charities’ supporters, climaxing in a prime time race broadcast during Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast on Channel 4 on Friday 15 December, commentated by TV presenter Steve Jones.

Turkey Dash started on Tuesday 28 November to mark Giving Tuesday – a global event that has been dubbed the antidote to Black Friday, and encourages people to do a good deed for charity. The campaign will run nationwide across broadcast, online and social media for two weeks, during which the British public will be asked to get behind a good cause by making a donation online to one of the eight turkeys. Each donation will in turn help the chosen turkey in their training regime before the big race.

After running a poll on social media to choose the turkey-come-athlete’s name, the RNLI’s supporters chose to call the feathery runner Captain McStuffing. Complete with the RNLI’s trademark yellow wellies, Captain McStuffing was designed at Aardman’s studio in Bristol along with the other seven turkeys.

John Bines, Director of Fundraising at the RNLI, says: ‘We’re delighted to be involved in Turkey Dash this Christmas. It’s a really fun way to raise money for some great charities, and hopefully Captain McStuffing will cross the finish line first for the RNLI on Friday 15 December! But the only way that will happen is if lots of people donate online at www.turkeydash.co.uk/rnli. So please support us and help our feathered friend win this race, while raising vital funds to help us continue saving lives at sea.’

Alison Sagar, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Consumer at PayPal UK, explains: ‘With Turkey Dash, we wanted to show the power of online payments to do good. Last Christmas, more than a million people in the UK made a donation to their favourite cause with PayPal. This year, we want to encourage even more donations! We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to inspire our customers and show them the breadth of what PayPal has to offer. We think we’ve got something really special this year thanks to the combined efforts of eight incredible charities, Aardman and Channel 4.’

All donations will be processed through PayPal Giving Fund UK, a registered not-for-profit organisation that uses technology to help charities find new supporters and raise funds in a safe and secure way. PayPal Giving Fund UK does not charge charities any fees for enrolling or receiving donations, ensuring they receive all funds including Gift Aid.

Aardman director Darren Dubicki comments: ‘Who doesn’t love the idea of animated turkeys? With Turkey Dash, we’re playing to the great British sense of humour we all share, while encouraging people to dig deep for a good cause. We’ll be working on the animation right up until race day, which will be a little nerve wracking!’

The eight charities participating in the Turkey Dash are:

• Blue Cross, www.bluecross.org.uk – helping thousands of sick, injured, homeless and abandoned pets and their owners every month. Pets change lives. We change theirs.
• CLIC Sargent, www.clicsargent.org.uk – the UK’s leading cancer support charity for children, young people and their families.
• LGBT Foundation, www.lgbt.foundation – delivering life changing services and securing a safe, equal and healthy future for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people.
• Mental Health Foundation, www.mentalhealth.org.uk – dedicated to finding and addressing the sources of mental health problems.
• The Royal British Legion, www.britishlegion.org.uk – providing lifelong support for our Armed Forces community, including Serving personnel, veterans, and their families.
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution, www.rnli.org – the charity that saves lives at sea, with volunteer lifeboat crews providing a 24-hour rescue service at 238 lifeboat stations and lifeguards on more than 240 beaches.
• Save the Children, www.christmasjumperday.org – making the world better with a sweater by doing whatever it takes to save children and transform futures.
• Sue Ryder, www.sueryder.org – providing hospice and neurological care for people facing a frightening, life-changing diagnosis.

For more information on Turkey Dash visit: www.turkeydash.co.uk

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Luke Blissett, RNLI National Media Manager, on 01202 66336497 / [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.