Stormy Stan brings in the crowds at RNLI Rye Harbour

Tony Edwards, former Lifeboat Operations Manager of the station, cut a tape at 11.00 a.m. to kick off the proceedings. There were plenty of stalls for people to buy from and the raffle prizes were outstanding. Many thanks to all the local businesses and villages who donated so generously.

Stormy Stan arrived in style in an open-top sports car, much to the delight of the crowds. Children were hopping about waiting to have their picture taken with him. Later Stormy Stan headed off into Rye, encouraging people to come and give their support: people loved it.

A highlight of the day was the arrival of The Morell, a Shannon-class lifeboat from Dungeness. The crowds were waving from the slipway as she arrived, escorted by Hello Herbie II, the Atlantic 85 Rye Harbour inshore lifeboat. Natalie, a navigator from Dungeness, commented: 'We love supporting our flank station at Rye Harbour. It is always good to catch up and be part of such a fun day.' Thank you to the Rother Responders, the Fire and Rescue Service and Safety at Sea for their support too. It is an important message to convey: the agencies all working together to keep people safe.

Natalia and Charlotte Hayter enjoyed trying on the senior launchers’ helmets and their father said, 'Seeing the Shannon up close was awesome for the girls. It was a pleasure to see the volunteer men and women of this charity on their Open Day and to give them the recognition that they deserve.'

There was a buzz about the place as people flocked through, buying raffle and tombola tickets, teas and coffees and cakes. We raised over £1,220 and Paul Bolton (LOM) remarked as the event drew to a close, 'I was proud of my team today as they all worked hard to make it a success. A lot of preparation goes in, long in advance of the day itself. A particular thank you to Mark Stephenson and his fund-raising team who did the organising, and all those who helped. We even managed to recruit some new crew-members. A great success all round.'

RNLI Media contacts

• Kt Bruce, Rye Harbour RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (07789) 818878 Kt@ktbrucephotography.com

• Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 paul_dunt@rnli.org.uk

• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.

Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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 or by email.

The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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 142,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.