Beavers and Cubs raise £1330 for Whitstable RNLI
The splendid amount of £1330 has been raised for the Whitstable lifeboat station by the 1st Sturry Beavers and Cubs from the proceeds of their sponsored walk held earlier this year, and on Monday evening the cubs visited the station to present their cheque and hear about the work of the lifeboat.
“We chose the lifeboat because it is close to all our hearts and living just outside Canterbury, we all like to go to the beaches. This year our walk was on 12th March from our headquarters in Park View, Sturry through the fields and woods to Wildwood Country Park. About 28 Beavers and Cubs ranging in age from 5 to 10 years took part and completed the trek of just over two miles in around 1.5 hours”.
On Monday evening, Whitstable lifeboat’s education and visits officers, David Hayward and Sue Evans, were on hand to introduce members of the crew and station and explain the operation of the lifeboat and station and the roles played by various members of the crew and other volunteers. Helm, Ruth Oliver, pointed out many of the features of the lifeboat and its controls, whilst crewmember Ollie Myhill demonstrated how the launching tractor was controlled and how to exit from the vehicle in case of an emergency. Fellow crewmember Sam Turner demonstrated the use of the dry suit, lifejacket and helmet and other protective wear used by lifeboat crews.
Following their inspection of the lifeboat, its tractor and launching carriage, the party adjourned to the crew room in the boathouse to watch a video of a lifeboat rescue and make the formal presentation of the cheque to lifeboat Operations Manager, Mike Judge, who in return presented the group with photographs of the boat, certificates acknowledging their efforts and some other souvenirs of their visit.
Education Officer, David Hayward said, “Monday was our first evening on which we could open the station fully to visitors after the pandemic and we were very pleased to be able to welcome the cubs to view the lifeboat and station. They have done an amazing job in raising over £1300 for the station and we were impressed by their enthusiasm, their range of questions and knowledge”.
Nikki Rigden said after the visit “The group will go away with a greater understanding of the work of the RNLI and they have now learnt the basics of how to call the coastguard and lifeboat in an emergency and have a greater awareness of sea and water safety, especially with both the sea and River Stour in our locality”.
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.
RNLI media contacts
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Chris Davey, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Whitstable Lifeboat Station.
07741 012004/ [email protected]
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Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer London/southeast/east Tel: 0207 6207416 Mob: (07785) 296252 [email protected]
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For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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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 146,000 lives.
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