Sunderland Tall Ships Race 2018 nominates RNLI as charity partner

The event takes place over five days, from Tuesday 10 July to Saturday 14 July. Sunderland is expecting to welcome a fleet of over 80 international tall ships and expects around 1.5 million visitors.

Helen Loynes, Community Fundraising Manager for the RNLI, said: ‘It is fabulous to be part of such an exciting event in Sunderland and it fits well with the RNLI and our rich maritime history.

'The atmosphere is sure to be amazing and there are huge amounts of entertainment and cultural activities planned around the event. We will be onsite fundraising, our shop will be open and members of the team will be there to talk about our work and offer advice to stay safe in the water this summer. Sunderland RNLI shop by Roker Pier is open as usual and we have a retail gazebo in the heart of the event selling RNLI merchandise.’

The RNLI will promoting the Respect the Water campaign and water safety messages during the event. The initiative supports the RNLI’s annual national drowning prevention campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the potential dangers of the water and take steps to minimise the risk of being in or near water. It is part of the charity’s drive to halve the number of accidental coastal deaths by 2024.

The RNLI urges people to remember this basic safety information when enjoying their time around the water:

· People who fall into cold water follow the same instinct, to gasp, thrash about and swim hard. But this is the worst thing to do – it increases chances of water entering your lungs and increases strain on your heart.

· If you fall into cold water, fight your instinct to swim hard. Instead just float until you can regain control of your breathing before then trying to swim to safety or call for help. You’ll have a far better chance of staying alive.

· If you see someone else in trouble in the water, fight the instinct to go in yourself. Call 999 or 112. If you are at the coast, ask for the coastguard. If you are inland by a river or waterway, ask for the police.

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact RNLI Regional Media Manager, Nicola Quinn, 07810 658 072 or [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.