
Santa visits Largs RNLI
On Saturday (December 17) UK Coastguard requested Largs RNLI’s assistance with a secret mission as a very special visitor from the North Pole paid a to visit Largs lifeboat station.
Santa cleared his schedule on Saturday morning to allow for a flying visit to the RNLI lifeboat station in Largs to say a thank you to the children of the volunteer crew based there.
RNLI volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, and regularly have to have to leave their families during the middle of the night, dinner time, birthdays, and even potentially on Christmas Day. The crew’s children are always very supportive seeing their parents rush off to help someone in trouble along the coast or at sea.
Each year RNLI volunteers are prepared to leave their loved ones to save others at Christmas, including those at Largs RNLI. Last Christmas (December 24 2021 – January 1 2022), RNLI lifeboat crews across the UK and Ireland saved the lives of eight people, the highest number recorded in five years, and aided an additional 88 people during this time.
While at Largs lifeboat station Mr Claus presented selection boxes, which were kindly donated by the Community Champions at Morrisons in Largs, to the children of the volunteer crew, assuring the children and the crew they are all currently on the ‘Good List’ this year.
Claire McRae Lifeboat Press Officer at Largs RNLI said: ‘The crew at Largs would like to pass on their thanks to Santa for taking the time to visit the station during what is without doubt his busiest time of year.
‘The children of the crew here at Largs are incredibly understanding of having their parents rush out of the door to help other people, and hopefully having Santa visit the station will go a little towards thanking them for their support throughout the year.
‘Thanks also go to the Community Champions at Morrisons in Largs for their very kind donation of selection boxes for the children, it is very much appreciated by us all.
‘We would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of our volunteers, fundraisers, supporters, partner agencies and members of the public a very safe and happy Christmas.’
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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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.