Ballyglass and Achill RNLI volunteers facing the Perfect Storm this Christmas
As Christmas approaches, the RNLI is issuing its own call for help as the charity’s volunteer lifeboat crews are getting busier.
The charity is facing a ‘Perfect Storm’ with more people than ever needing its help, meaning support from the public is more vital than ever.
Last year, Irish lifeboats launched 1,066 times coming to the aid of 1,441 people,19 of whom were lives saved. In Mayo, Achill RNLI launched 31 times, rescuing 20 people while Ballyglass RNLI launched nine times, bringing five people to safety thanks to the direct actions of the lifeboat crew.
To ensure the RNLI can continue its lifesaving work this Christmas and into the future, the charity is running a major fundraising appeal, The Perfect Storm.
While many people will be thinking about presents, turkey and time with the family, dedicated RNLI volunteers at 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland will be ensuring their yellow wellies and lifejackets are ready for when the call comes and will be prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice to save lives.
In many cases, family members will need to abandon their turkey dinner and head to their lifeboat station when the call for help comes in.
This will be no different at Ballyglass and Achill RNLI, where many of the crew have young children who will be looking forward to Santa Claus coming and playing their new toys with their parents.
Among the families are brothers and crew members John and Henry Gaughan who between them have four children under the age of eight. Meanwhile, Helm and mechanic Frankie Geraghty will be on call along with his son Eric and nephew Ryan, both of whom are crew members. But, like the rest of the volunteers at Ballyglass and Achill RNLI, the Gaughan and Geraghty families know if the call comes, they too will be willing and ready to drop everything to help someone in need:
‘Christmas is no different to any other time of year,’ John says, ‘We’ll still be on call ready to save lives and delay our own Christmas celebrations. None of our volunteer team at Ballyglass will mind doing that, that is what we are here for. It is our hope that no one finds themselves in difficulty in the water this Christmas, but should we be called out, there will be no greater Christmas gift for us than to bring someone to safety.
‘We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the public. The RNLI has experienced a shortfall in funds, but we are rescuing more people than ever before. We are facing the Perfect Storm and are calling on people to make a donation this Christmas to ensure we can continue saving lives at sea.’
To support the RNLI’s Perfect Storm appeal this Christmas, helping to ensure the charity’s brave volunteers can continue saving lives at sea, please visit RNLI.org/ThePerfectStorm
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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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