RNLI walls aplenty

An addition to this year’s competition is that some of the items produced by the students during the competition will be auctioned at the end of the day and proceeds donated to charities suggested by the students.

Lecturer in charge of the brick and block working apprentices is Robert Brew, volunteer second coxswain of Ramsey's all-weather lifeboat Ann and James Ritchie and also a deputy second coxswain for Douglas being based at UCM during the working day. It was perhaps no surprise then that the charity the bricklaying apprentices chose to support was the RNLI and the test set was to construct a wall with the RNLI initials highlighted in contrasting brick.

Starting with a pile of bricks, a construction diagram, a wheel barrow of mortar and their tools the students had six hours to construct their wall which at the end of the six hours were then assessed by a party of qualified construction professionals and points awarded for proper construction and conformance with the build diagram.

The afternoon concluded for all the trades involved with a presentation of prizes to the first, second and third placed students as determined by their relative trade assessors.

Notes to editors
Caption for attached photos:
(1) Walls aplenty Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland
(2 The winning wall Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland
(3) Construction diagram Credit: RNLI/University College Isle of Man

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Mike Howland, Douglas RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624496029, email [email protected] or contact Nuala McAloon RNLI Regional Media Officer Ireland on 00353876483547 or email [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson RNLI Regional Media Manager Ireland on 00353871254124 or [email protected]

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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