Walmer Lifeboat Station supporter Jim Moir features in episode of RNLI podcast

Actor and painter Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves from Deal has been telling listeners about how his artwork has played a part in his support of Walmer RNLI in a special episode of the charity’s podcast 200 Voices.

Aired today, Tuesday 22^nd August, Jim recalls how he began fundraising for the lifeboats by putting on a speed sketching session at a Deal record shop.

The comic recalled how he came up with the concept on a Saturday night while listening to Roxy Music in his kitchen. In the days that followed he had arranged with the record store owner for him to sit in the shop and sketch record covers in the time it took to play one song.

He said: ‘It was such a hot, hot June day, absolutely scorching, I was in the record shop and I was sketching with charcoal and sweating, constantly rubbing my face. After about half and hour I looked like a coal miner and it was quite an exciting and invigorating evening, so I just did it for about an hour and a half and raised quite a bit of money for the RNLI. It worked so well I did it again – and I’m probably due to do another one!

Jim said it was seeing the RNLI lifeboat in Walmer most days that prompted him to choose the charity as one to support.

The institution has been saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, in that time, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by voluntary donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained volunteers, the RNLI is a truly unique rescue organisation with a remarkable 200-year story to tell – many highlights of which are shared through the podcast series.

Available across all podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across the UK and Ireland – and beyond.

The 200 Voices series also includes celebrity ambassadors such as The Sixth Commandment actor Timothy Spall, Gavin and Stacey actress Ruth Jones, Irish musician Phil Coulter, gold medal Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and BAFTA-winning actress Joanna Scanlan.

RNLI Strategic Content Manager, Rory Stamp said: ‘We knew we had to do something really special to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, which is such a monumental milestone.

‘200 Voices is an incredible collection of stories that are emotive, powerful, inspiring and heart-warming. The series gives us a chance to hear from a whole variety of amazing people who have played a part in or been touched by our lifesaving charity.

‘200 Voices is the first in a programme of activity planned to mark the RNLI’s bicentenary as we celebrate the world-class lifesaving service we provide today, remember our remarkable history and aim to inspire the future generations of lifesavers and supporters as we move through into the next 200 years.’

Launch into a podcast like no other: Listen to the RNLI’s 200 Voices daily wherever you get your podcasts or at RNLI.org/200Voices.

To find out more about the RNLI’s bicentenary, visit RNLI.org/200.

Notes to Editors:

· An audio trailer and a video trailer for 200 Voices can be downloaded here.

· Pictures and episode previews for episodes featured this August can be downloaded here.

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

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.