911 returns to visit the team at RNLI Rye Harbour
James and Belinda Richardson, a retired couple from London, decided to combine their love of the RNLI, fundraising and driving their Porsche Splash to raise awareness of the charity they wholeheartedly support and to raise funds in 2018.
Building upon last year’s success they are setting out on a new challenge in 2019 followed by a different challenge for the next five years until 2024 when the RNLI will be celebrating its bicentenary. The purpose of these challenges is to raise awareness of the work that dedicated volunteers do three hundred and sixty-five days a year and to raise funds via sponsorship, specifically to buy a D Class lifeboat by 2024.
Last year the Richardsons drove to the two hundred and thirty-eight stations around the coast of the British Isles and this year their challenge is based in Scotland. They aim to drive anti-clockwise around the whole of Scotland including Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles. This will entail visiting all seventy-seven RNLI stations and travelling over 2,800 miles in nineteen days. They plan to set off on 23 August 2019 at 9.11 am and finish on 11 September at 9.11 am
They visited four stations along the south coast yesterday and received a warm welcome at RNLI Rye Harbour from the new LOM, (Lifeboat Operations Manager) Mark Hall, DLA Steve Griffiths, Mark Stephenson (fundraising manager at the station), Press Officer KT Bruce and a visiting family from Brighton. It was good to catch up and renew friendships forged last year and to support the new ventures.
You can find out more by visiting their website Rnli-911challenge.co.uk
and by donating through the link JustGiving pageRNLI-911challenge
RNLI Media contacts
• Kt Bruce, Rye Harbour RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (07789) 818878 k[email protected]
• Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]
• 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 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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok 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.