Clacton RNLI’s Easter Egg appeal is now underway
With Easter fast approaching, the annual Easter egg and present appeal, now in its eighth year, has been launched this week.
The Easter appeal is the brain child of Tim Sutton (volunteer Helmsman at Clacton RNLI), who from personal experience with his daughter Amy, knows how miserable it can be over the holiday period for children away from home in hospital, despite the excellent care and compassion of staff.
With a mantra of ‘one gift equals one smile’, and over 10,000 items delivered in the last eight years between the Christmas and Easter appeals, that’s 10,000 smiles so far.
The appeal will culminate on 24 March, hopefully with a 300 mile road trip for Mr Sutton and fellow volunteers from Clacton-on-Sea RNLI, including RNLI mascot Stormy Stan, taking in the three counties of Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. The team usually visit 10 establishments caring for children with the items donated. A care package of gifts is often sent to Gt Ormond St Hospital too.
Tim Sutton said: ‘Every year the response to the Easter and Christmas appeal from the local community is truly overwhelming, and just seems to get bigger and bigger each time. The last Christmas appeal truly blew me away with the generosity of the local community, which resulted in over 2000 items being delivered.’
Anyone wishing to donate to the appeal can leave gifts at the Town Hall (station Road) or the RNLI Lifeboat Station in Hastings Avenue (6.30pm-9pm Wednesdays and 9.30am to 12.30pm Sundays). Tim Sutton is also willing to collect locally if you are unable to drop off and can be contacted via the RNLI Clacton Lifeboat Facebook page or www.clactonlifeboat.org to arrange.
RNLI media contacts
- Richard Wigley, Lifeboat Press Officer, Clacton RNLI: 07903 424698
- Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Media Officer, North East and East: 07824 518641
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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
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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.