A marathon Open Day to celebrate Portishead RNLI's third anniversary

After months of training and fundraising Nicky Poulter, despite spraining her ankle just a few days before whilst she was out on a training run, completed the London Marathon! Having trained in the rain and cold for months the prediction was that it would be the hottest Marathon ever - they weren’t wrong. Nicky said: 'The atmosphere was amazing. I had to stop for attention on my ankle, but I knew I had to keep going. After all those months of training I couldn’t give up. I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me and helping me to hit my fundraising target for the RNLI in Portishead, I couldn’t have done it without everyone!’

On the very same day the volunteers were up early to prepare their station for visitors. The bunting went up, the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat My Lady Anne came out of her boat house, the lifeguards and education presenters, HM Coastguards were setting up to give out their safety advice as the crowds started to arrive. The Coastguards were showing how to use lifesaving throw lines to people in distress, the Beach Buddies were in full swing all day giving their puppet shows to the children. The shop volunteers were selling tea, coffee and homemade cakes as well as their table top sale. It was a wonderful atmosphere all day with fun, laughter and the sun whilst learning how to stay safe in and around the water.

My Lady Anne and her crew, led by helm Bruce du Preez, gave a demo of how to recover a casualty from the water at midday to a massive crowd that gathered along the shoreline. Later in the afternoon everyone was joined by the amazing Barnacle Buoys who sang out their locally versed sea shanties.

Simon Perks Fundraising Co-Ordinator said: ‘I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped to make our Open Day such a success. The day surpassed our expectations in every way. And the support from our local community was wonderful. Without them we simply couldn’t do what we do!’

If anyone would like to support the RNLI here in Portishead with fundraising please send in an email to [email protected] or pop in and see our shop volunteers and leave your number for Simon who will get in touch. Your support will help us to #SaveLivesAtSea. It is not to late to sponsor Nicky for her amazing marathon, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nickyrunslondon18

RNLI notes to editors

Images are ©RNLI Portishead and ©IanBrown where indicated

1. Nicky Poulter running the London Marathon
2. Some of the Crew volunteers with ‘Mayday Man’ at the Open Day
3. My Lady Anne Atlantic 85 Lifeboat ©Ian Brown
4. RNLI Beach Buddies entertaining the children
5. The amazing Barnacle Buoys
   
6. HM Coastguards supporting the event

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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.

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