Young fundraiser raises £2000 for Swanage Lifeboat Station
Young fundraiser Sam Chaplin, who has just turned 13, set himself the challenge of cycling from Marlow to Wareham, 130 miles, and then kayaking from Wareham to Swanage, 20 miles, to raise money for the RNLI.
Before setting off Sam said ‘I really enjoy both cycling and kayaking and this will be my longest adventure yet!’.
Sam planned to reach Swanage within three days and he successfully completed his challenge arriving at Swanage Lifeboat Station on the afternoon of the 29thMay where he was welcomed by volunteers of Swanage RNLI and the Town Mayor, Mike Bonfield who is also a former Swanage lifeboat crew member.
Although Sam set off in fine weather, the last leg of his journey by kayak was hard word in the wet and windy conditions but this didn’t slow him down and Sam arrived smiling!
Deputy Coxswain, Gavin Steeden said ‘Sam is an inspiration, at only 13 years old he has completed a very difficult challenge and raised an amazing amount of money for the RNLI’.
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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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