Ilfracombe RNLI receives over £8,000 donation from local M&S branch

Staff chose Ilfracombe RNLI as their annual charity to support, and a range of events have taken place over the last 12 months to raise funds.

The Barnstaple and district branch took on the challenge with M&S and organised a range of activity to encourage support. This included collection tins at all the tills, a number of collection days in store, a prize draw, sea shanty singing, Stormy Stan and a visit from the Ilfracombe RNLI crew in their yellow kit. The volunteers were also in store on Mothering Sunday helping to wrap flowers and chocolates in return for donations, and received a £1,000 from the Charity Aid Foundation from the sale of carrier bags in store.

The overall total amounted to a fantastic £8,223.90 and a presentation was made last month on Ilfracombe RNLI’s Shannon class lifeboat, with M&S staff and volunteers from the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe RNLI branches.

David Burgess, chairman of the Barnstaple and district RNLI branch, said: ‘We really have built up a wonderful relationship with the Marks & Spencer Store in Barnstaple who were so enthusiastic and helpful and it was marvellous to be able to collect in store and avoid the elements outside. Our thanks to them for helping us raise such a fantastic amount of money for Ilfracombe RNLI.’

Notes to editors

Attached is an image of David Burgess, Barnstaple RNLI chairman, handing the cheque to Adam Davie, Hospitality Manager at M&S Barnstaple. In the background is some of the M&S staff together with some of the Ilfracombe crew.

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