Friends hold a dinner and quiz to raise funds for Whitstable Lifeboat

Jan Modell, Sue Fewkes and Cindy McGuinnity chose the lifeboat as it is a cause they have always supported, is local and provides a vital service.

Sue Fewkes said: 'The money was part of the proceeds raised by means of a dinner for 120 people held at the Marine Hotel which included a raffle with donations from many local businesses and an auction which helped to raise this incredible amount. We also held a quiz night for 48 contestants at the Tankerton Arms micro pub which opened specially for the event both events being held in November'.

Kellie Gray Chairman of the Whitstable Branch of the RNLI said: 'This has been a tremendous effort by the three girls and we very much appreciate their efforts. The monies will go towards the continuing costs of running the station which this year has seen the volunteer crews launch on 47 occasions to a variety of incidents in the area covered by Whitstable lifeboat'.

The three also donated a further £3500 to Coeliac UK the charity helping people living without gluten to live happier, healthier lives and fund research into Coeliac disease.

Ends.

Picture caption:

Jan Modell, Sue Fewkes and Cindy McGuinnity who have raised £3500 for Whitstable Lifeboat with Branch chairman Kellie Gray at the lifeboat station on Sunday. Picture: RNLI Whitstable.

Notes to editors

Whitstable RNLI Lifeboat Station was established in 1963 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and is one of 237 lifeboat stations around the shores of the UK and Ireland. The volunteer crews provide a maritime search and rescue service for the Kent coast. They cover the area between the Kingsferry Bridge on the Swale, in the west, around the south-eastern side of Sheppey and along the coast through Whitstable and Herne Bay to Reculver in the east and outwards into the Thames Estuary.

The station is equipped with an Atlantic 85 lifeboat named Lewisco, purchased through a bequest of a Miss Lewis of London who passed away in 2006.

She is what is known as a rigid inflatable inshore lifeboat, the boat’s rigid hull being topped by an inflatable sponson. She carries a crew of four people.

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· Chris Davey, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Whitstable Lifeboat Station.
07741 012004/ [email protected]

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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 142,700 lives.

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