Fundraising coffee morning raises over £600 for Exmouth RNLI

On the launch day of Respect the Water - the lifesaving charity’s annual safety campaign, the Exmouth RNLI Community Safety team greeted visitors at the entrance. The hall was filled with stalls selling local crafts, plants, books, bric-a-brac, RNLI merchandise and a huge selection of cakes donated by volunteers and their families. Budleigh Lions had invited charities to hold events in the hall, within Budleigh Salterton Gala week.

The Co-operative in Brixington kindly donated tea, coffee, milk, sugar and biscuits for the event. The plant stall raised over £140 in sales of donations from Kings Garden Centre, Greenfingers Garden Centre, St. Bridget Nurseries. Some members of the community raised stock especially for the event.

The raffle, itself raised £161.50 with generous donations from local businesses: Pynes Farm Shop, Georgie Porgie’s Puddings Ltd, Flawless Beauty, Otterton Mill, Stuart Line Cruises, The Proper Fish and Chips Co. and Woodbury Wood Turners.

Joint event organiser, Pat Atkinson praised the volunteers:

‘Everyone worked so hard on the day and many with the organising, weeks before. The number of volunteers who set up the event, helped in the kitchen, sold raffle tickets and helping generally to make the event such a big success, really made a difference. The cakes and drinks raised an amazing £221. A huge thank you to everyone who made cakes - we received so many compliments about how delicious they were and on the choice available, including gluten-free. We did have a few left and they were delivered to the crew and shop volunteers to enjoy later!’

Photos: (credit Exmouth RNLI)

PR300519-1 Exmouth RNLI Community Safety team greet visitors.

PR300519-2 Raffle prize table with volunteers Fiona and Jackie.

PR300519-3 RNLI merchandise table with volunteers Pat and Jill.

PR300519-4 Budleigh Mayor, Caz Sismore-Hunt buys a plant from Exmouth RNLI Chair, Simon Davidson

PR300519-5 Exmouth RNLI coffee morning in Budleigh Salterton Public Hall

Notes to editors

Exmouth RNLI are currently recruiting a variety of shore-based volunteer roles. Applications need to be made online, following the relevant links, by 1 June:

Lifeboat Administrative Officer (LAO): https://bit.ly/2u3WxWQ

(for enquiries, please email [email protected])

Community Safety Advisers (CSA): https://bit.ly/2T0EDhp

(for enquiries, please email [email protected])

Fundraising Box Secretary: https://bit.ly/2Che3uS

(for enquiries, please email [email protected])

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The next RNLI lifejacket clinic will take place at NCI Open Day on 8 June.

· Exmouth lifeboat station has been operating since 1803. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: www.exmouthlifeboat.org.uk

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For more information please telephone Emma Tarling, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07837 810082 or [email protected] or alternatively, Emma Haines, Regional Media Officer on 07786 668847 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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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