
Helford Passage Regatta’s support for Falmouth RNLI has now raised over £22,000
The Helford Passage Regatta has supported the charity for the last 15 years and this year’s event raised a total of £2,400. A cheque was presented to Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Jonathon Blakeston by Regatta committee members Tina Walker and Martin Winters when they visited the lifeboat station recently.
The Regatta, involving rowing, beach sports and swimming events, is run by volunteers and has been raising money for the charity since 2007. The committee decided that it was appropriate that the beneficiary of the fundraising should be the RNLI due to most of the events being water-based and also because so many locals and visitors go out on the water. The money was raised in a number of ways including stalls, a raffle, tombola and donations collected on the day.
Unfortunately, the Regatta wasn’t run in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic but this year’s event, held on Saturday 6 August, was blessed with brilliant weather, great participation and a big turnout of people. Tina Walker said: ‘A lot of people said it was the best regatta we’ve had for a long time.’
On receiving the cheque, Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Jonathon Blakeston thanked the Regatta committee for their continued support and said: ‘We are very grateful to receive donations like this, it’s really important as the money goes towards helping our volunteer crews save lives at sea.’
Notes to editors
- The Helford Passage Regatta started as an event in 1982 with rowing and beach sports races just for fun, set up by the Ferry Boat Inn to provide entertainment for holidaymakers and locals alike. Over the years, the pub introduced various fundraising ideas and then in 2007 the current committee took over running the Regatta and began to fundraise for the RNLI.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Simon Culliford, RNLI Volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07971986978 or [email protected] or Emily Hazard, RNLI Regional Media Officer [email protected] or 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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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