A varied weekend for Exmouth volunteers: Fish Supper, carnival and celebrations
Crew, Fundraising and Shop volunteers from Exmouth were busy supporting and representing the charity that saves lives at sea in various methods and places on 13 and 14 October.
On Friday 13 October, local supporting business Krispies provided an RNLI Fish Supper at the lifeboat station for 41 volunteers and their families. £205 was raised through ticket sales to include a fish and chip meal and a quiz. The fish and chip shop, owned by Crew volunteer Tim Barnes and his wife Kelly also raised 10p from every sale on Friday and Saturday for the charity’s national fundraising campaign.
On Saturday 14 October, Crew and Fundraising volunteers with their families took part in the annual Exmouth carnival, this year with an inflatable publicity Shannon class lifeboat in tow. As they were assembling at 6.46pm, pagers were activated by the UK Coastguard to the launch the real Exmouth Shannon R and J Welburn on service. Crew volunteers raced down to the lifeboat station and moved the all-weather lifeboat as far as the ramp when they were stood down. A local fishing vessel was overheating off Pole Sands, south west of Exmouth but R and J Welburn was needed as another fishing vessel could assist with a tow. Crew volunteers raced back in time to join the procession, only taking 15 minutes in total away from the event.
Second Mechanic, Mark Sansom explained:
‘We enjoy taking part in the carnival every year as we feel it’s important to represent our charity in the community. As Crew, we’re used to making contingency plans all the time as when our pagers go off, we drop everything to launch our lifeboats as lives could be in danger.’
Meanwhile at London’s prestigious Guildhall, three Operations’ volunteers, nine Shop volunteers and their partners were celebrating their various long-service and Excellence in Volunteering awards. The celebration consisted drinks, a two-course meal and talks by the Institution’s Trustees.
Notes to Editors
(Credit: Exmouth RNLI)
Operations awards:
Full-time Mechanic, Andrew Stott and Crew volunteer, Roy Stott were both celebrating 20 year long-service awards; (photo with their wives available on request)
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Kevin Riley was celebrating an Excellence in Volunteering award; (photo with his family available on request)
Lifeboat Press Officer, Emma Tarling also received this award but could not attend the celebration.
Shop awards:
Shop managers, Pat Atkinson and Linda Cawsey and Shop volunteers, Rachel Hughes and Doreen Wellington were celebrating individual Excellence in Volunteering awards;
Fiona Cotter, Dave Atkinson, Pamela and Mike Diffey and Jill Carter were representing the Exmouth RNLI Shop group Excellence in Volunteering award.
Photos: PR161017 Carnival Group photo
PR161017 Carnival assembly, just before pagers sounded
PR161017 Fish Supper
PR161017 Shop volunteers celebrating at Guildhall, London
For more information please telephone Emma Tarling, Exmouth RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07837 810082 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.