Santa visits Ramsgate RNLI
Santa recently took time out of his busy schedule to take a tour of the harbour on the relief Trent RNLI lifeboat ‘Dora Foster McDougall’.
The event was to support the town's Illuminations which have been held for the past five years to raise money for Ramsgate RNLI. Over seventy five yachts in the inner harbour have been decorated in Christmas lights and the event draws crowds from home and away.
This year, for the first time, a relief Trent has been based in Ramsgate and the Town Team donated money for it to be decorated over the Christmas period.
As a way of thanking the town for supporting the RNLI, which is entirely funded by public donations, the crew decided to ask Santa along for a tour of the harbour which he thoroughly enjoyed, waving and wishing everyone a Happy Christmas.
Sadly the weather was dreadful which kept the expected crowds away but everyone took to Twitter and Facebook to thank the crew for everything they had done. The lifeboat was full to capacity as the volunteer crew all wanted to meet Santa and check that they were on his good list, which he assured them they were!
The coxswain Ian Cannon said that he had considered cancelling the event as it was so cold and raining hard, however how could the RNLI who brave all weathers to save lives at sea cancel an event because of a bit of rain!
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Media Contacts:
Karen Cox Ramsgate Lifeboat Press Officer email [email protected] tel 07779 848431.
Paul Dunt RNLI Regional Media Officer London and South East. Email [email protected] tel 07785 296252.
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.
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