10 year old Harry Forrest from Hereford fundraises for Plymouth RNLI

Harry had decided he wanted to raise money for the charity after he had been rescued on a friend's boat last year and after watching Plymouth Lifeboat Station on social media. Harry also said he enjoys watching Saving Lives at Sea and that Plymouth Lifeboat station is his favourite but he loves all the RNLI stations.

Harry took part in the Mayday mile completing a total of nine miles. While in school Harry conducted various fundraising ideas including asking school mates to guess how many sweets there were in a jar, with one pupil donating £10 in attempts at guessing the total. With over 400 students at St Paul’s Church of England school in Hereford Harry has not only managed to raise over £600 for the RNLI but has helped educate his class mates on the dangers of the sea and how to call for help if you get in to trouble.

But this doesn’t look to be the end of Harry’s fundraising efforts.

Harry has set up a website where you can purchase RNLI Greeting cards that he has made himself : harrys-rnli-cards.business.site

All the volunteer crew at Plymouth Lifeboat station would like to thank Harry and his family for taking the time to visit us while they were down on holiday and presenting Coxswain/Mechanic Simon Jeffery with a cheque for the funds raised.

Simon said;

'Keep up the good work Harry you are an inspiration to us all and your efforts will help the RNLI save lives at sea.'

The RNLI urge everyone to heed the following safety advise;

• If you see someone else in trouble at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
• Always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, ensure everyone onboard knows how to call for help, get appropriate training, and check your engine and fuel before every trip.
• If you find yourself in the water unexpectedly, fight your instincts and float until the effects of cold water shock pass.
• Know what to do – visit RNLI.org/safety.

As a charity the RNLI are reliant on voluntary donations to power its lifesaving work. There are many ways you can give to the RNLI to find out more and to donate, visit RNLI.org/donate.

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.