Southend Lifeboat Station volunteer in Boxing Day episode of RNLI 200 podcasts

This month on Boxing Day, Daniel Wanna, Events Manager, Helm and Crew for Southend-on-Sea RNLI Lifeboat Station talks about fundraising and how to stay safe in cold water. Daniel helps to organise the very popular Southend RNLI Boxing Day Dip which is now in its eighth year.

Daniel: ‘Following the successes of the Southend RNLI Boxing Day Dip that we have had over the past few years, join me on Boxing Day to find out more about our event and how we raise up to £15,000 per year from this marvellous event’.

The charity 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 Editor:

. Boxing Day podcast available here for public release on Boxing Day https://source.rnli.org.uk/share/57F2A166-E5F9-4F55-BEF38A3CBEE5D1D1/

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

· Find out more about the RNLI’s bicentenary at RNLI.org/200.

Nigel Gilchrist, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat Station. [email protected] or 07765875300

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]

For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 or by email.

The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.

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.