Two iconic Welsh landmarks go yellow for RNLI Mayday campaign

This Thursday (3 May), Criccieth Castle will make a striking sight after dark and the

National Library of Wales has been lit yellow since 27 April and will remain so until Thursday (3 May). The yellow glow will serve as an unmissable reminder to residents and visitors alike to ‘do your bit, fund our kit’ and help to fundraise throughout May.

The lighting of the Aberystwyth building helped to raise awareness of a Mayday family fun day which took place on site on Saturday (28 April). The event included hands on demonstration from photographer Jack Lowe, who is visiting every RNLI lifeboat station in the UK and Ireland taking unique photographs on glass. Jack gave demonstrations of the fascinating method he used to create a number of images being displayed for the first time at the National Library of Wales. In 2017, the library purchased a selection of Jack’s prints for the National Collection of Welsh Photographs.

The library is hosting the very first exhibition of those images: powerful portraits of Welsh lifeboat stations and their brave volunteer crews. The free exhibition runs until March 2019 and forms part of Visit Wales’ ‘Year of the Sea’, a year-long celebration of the Welsh epic shores.

Mayday, the RNLI’s annual national fundraising campaign, runs for the whole month of May across the UK and Ireland. This year, the RNLI hopes to raise £750,000 through Mayday, which will be used to fund essential kit for the charity’s selfless volunteer lifeboat crews. Last year, lifeboats in Wales launched 1,082 times, offering assistance to 1,169 people.

A spokesperson for Cadw, Welsh Government’s historic environment service, said:

‘We are proud to be supporting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) Mayday fundraising campaign. The lighting of Criccieth Castle in yellow will make a great visual impact and will hopefully help go some way towards helping the institute raise the necessary money for this potentially lifesaving kit”.

Money raised through Mayday will help RNLI lifeboat crews to face the harshest conditions at sea with the best kit possible. It currently costs £1,598 to provide one all-weather lifeboat crew member with all of the kit needed when responding to the call for help.

A recently-announced partnership with global brand Helly Hansen will see all-weather lifeboat crews supplied with new kit later this year, providing better endurance levels and greater freedom of movement for the charity’s crew members.

Anyone who wishes to get involved can visit RNLI.org/mayday to register for a free Mayday fundraising pack or donate to the campaign online. You can also show support on social media, joining the conversation using the hashtag #MaydayEveryDay, or buy a yellow crew member pin badge.

Deb Mahon, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager for the RNLI in north Wales says:

‘We are delighted to be raising awareness this year’s Mayday campaign by going yellow – like the volunteers’ iconic yellow crew kit. Helping to raise awareness and funds for the RNLI’s crucial kit is a hugely worthy cause, and one that is particularly appropriate for us given the close proximity of Aberystwyth and Criccieth RNLI lifeboat stations to these iconic landmarks.

‘Our crews rely on lifesaving kit, like their yellow wellies, lifejackets and helmets, when they go out in all weathers to save lives. We’re delighted that Criccieth Castle and the National Library of Wales will be joining us in going yellow this Mayday, and we hope that many local people will be inspired to lend their support as well.’

Notes to editors

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Danielle Rush, RNLI Media Relations Manager on 07786 668829. Alternatively, call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email [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.

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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.