Wirral mayor welcomed to RNLI New Brighton open day and record funds raised
Alongside Mayor of Wirral Councillor Geoffrey Watt and Mayoress Anne Watt, the lifeboat station saw hundreds of people take part in its open day event on 8 July 2018, with a record amount of close to £2,500 raised.
After meeting the crew and lifeboat station members, the mayor and mayoress mingled with a myriad of visitors at stands selling homemade baking and preserves, crafts, ship-themed china plates, hot dogs, drinks and much-sought-after RNLI Christmas cards and calendars. The couple also boarded inshore lifeboat Charles Dibdin alongside those of all ages interested in hearing more about the vessel’s features from crew members.
‘The mayoress and I are delighted to be part of this open day, especially as it’s our first time visiting RNLI New Brighton lifeboat station,’ the mayor said. ‘It’s fantastic to see this important part of the local community so busy, particularly when we remember that the lifeboat is crewed, launched and maintained by volunteers.’
RNLI mascot Stormy Stan also put in an appearance during the day which included a tombola stand, raffle and a guess-the-weight-of the cake competition, the latter won by Mayoress Watt. Particularly popular was the sponge-throwing activity, which saw lifeboat crew put themselves up for soakings by keen participants of all ages.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Thornton said: ‘From shop volunteers to crew to management, our entire team thoroughly enjoyed the day and we are so pleased with the amount raised. This is a good few hundred pounds over previous years’ open days.
‘Although welcoming Wirral’s mayor and mayoress was a real highlight for us, we delight in the chance to interact with all visitors to the station. And on behalf of our entire team a big thank you everyone who came along for their tremendous support.'
RNLI New Brighton is one of three Wirral RNLI lifeboat stations among local charities the mayor and mayoress are supporting and raising funds for during their time in office.
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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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.