A huge number of crew, Guild, volunteers, helpers and supporters set up their stalls on Stromness Pier Head on Sunday 4 September to enjoy a great social gathering and raise much-needed funds for Stromness RNLI.
The event kicked off with the Stromness Royal British Legion Pipe Band marching into town, with our very own Stormy Stan bringing up the rear. Stormy would have led the march but was afraid of getting out of step, however in the event he was the only one
in step.
There was music and dancing throughout the afternoon from a variety of local groups who kept everything going with a swing. Mountains of sandwiches and cake, provided by the Ladies' Guild, were washed down with very welcome hot tea as the day was on the cooler side.
There were children's games which included Welly Wanging, although locals appeared unfamiliar with the name of the game. It simply involved seeing if you could throw an RNLI welly into a tub from a challenging, age- and stature-appropriate distance.
Longhope RNLI lifeboat volunteers brought their boat over to join in and support the event. There were horse and carriage rides, a raffle, a throw-a-wet-sponge-at-a-crew-member stand, craft stalls, falconry and attendance from the local cadet force.
Stromness RNLI would like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who came to help or support in any way. There were lots of heavy collecting buckets before the rain called a halt to proceedings - so heavy, in fact, the contents are still being counted. Final total to be announced in due course.
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.
