Bradley's life savings help Rhyl RNLI volunteers save lives at sea!
Bradley Edwards, at the tender age of 4, learnt about the RNLI and how we save lives at sea, when he attended Chec Mates Nursery in Telford, Shropshire, recently.
He was encouraged to make a reminder of the work the RNLI volunteers undertook, and so he copied the design of the RNLI lifejacket, and told his mum Donna, that he would present it to a lifeboat to help them when he was next near a lifeboat station.
Donna rang Rhyl station, as the family would be on holiday nearby in May. She spoke to Paul Frost, the station Press Officer, who said they could call in any morning to get a VIP tour of the station.
Unbeknown to Bradley, his mum arranged to go to the lifeboat station, where they were met by Paul, who gave them a special tour of the boathouse, the two lifeboats and the launching equipment. Bradley was beside himself with joy as he was allowed to sit in the helmsman position on the all-weather lifeboat 'Lil Cunningham' and also go on board the inshore lifeboat 'Mary Maxwell'.
As the tour was ending, Bradley presented Paul with an envelope containing £10, which was the sum total of Bradley's pocket money. He had saved it up so that he could contribute to Rhyl station's Shannon lifeboat appeal, for when we get the new all-weather Shannon-class lifeboat in 2019.
Paul Frost says 'The whole station here at Rhyl are so proud and honoured that Bradley considered our lifeboat appeal for his donation. He is certainly a great guy and his lifejacket will be hanging in our display room in the station. As a charity, we rely on donations such as Bradley's to keep us saving lives at sea'.
Pictures show Bradley and his Mum Donna with the donated lifejacket model, and Bradley at the helm of the All-weather lifeboat at Rhyl
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.