Another record breaking fundraising total for RNLI Longhope Lifeboat Bazaar
Another record breaking fundraising total for RNLI Longhope Lifeboat Bazaar
Lifeboats News Release
Huge thanks to the volunteer crew, Lifeboat Guild, all of the home bakers and those who helped out with arrangements, attended, made purchases or gave donations, resulting in a grand total of £2966.21 being raised.
Special thanks are also due to the many local businesses who made generous donations: Aurora, Emily’s Wild Heather Crafts, E. Flett - Butchers, J.W. Gray, J.M.F. Groat & Son, Highland Park, The Longship, NOV, Orkney Cheese, Orkney Distillery, Orkney Ferries, Ortak, Pentland Ferries, Repsol Sinopec, William Shearer, Sodexo, Stromabank Hotel, W.H.B. Sutherland - Chemist, Swannay Brewery, Toumal Art Studio, William Wilson …and to anyone we inadvertently missed!
The Bazaar was opened in great style by newly qualified Lifeboat Mechanic Ian Avis. A successful event by any measure, with many bargains to be had, an extremely well stocked raffle, fine teas and cakes and the traditional early visit from Santa, of course. The event concluded with an auction of larger items, including furniture and artworks, directed by Second Coxswain Angus Budge.
After the main event at the YM Community Hall in Longhope village, the bazaar traditionally goes ‘on tour’ to our neighbouring islands. This year, the visit to Flotta raised £337.40 towards our grand total. Unfortunately, the planned visit to Graemsay did not take place due to poor weather; however, the good folk of the island showed their continued support by sending a generous donation of £65.
The Annual Lifeboat Bazaar has become a key date in the calendar; a firm favourite with islanders and visitors alike and year-on-year it continues to break fundraising records. It is always a highly enjoyable, well attended event and testament to the esteem in which the Longhope Lifeboat and the RNLI are held by the community.
It is always a pleasure to deliver good news like this and more so when increasing demands on the lifeboat service have been met, in recent times, by a general decline in donations across the UK. The current ‘Perfect Storm’ campaign, as shown in our Facebook banners and on the RNLI web pages aims to raise awareness of the increasing costs of the work of the RNLI, saving lives at sea. Your donations are the lifeblood of the service and go to provide high quality training & support, specialist equipment and purpose built lifeboats that make the work of our volunteer crews possible. Once again, thank you.
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.
