
Fourth Festive Fir chipping to raise vital funds
Walmer RNLI volunteers from across the station assembled for the first fundraiser of the year on Saturday, 7 January.
A damp and windy Saturday didn’t deter Walmer volunteers and local businessman and sponsor Tom Ledger’s Leaf Tree Services, who brought two machines, from their task of making our fourth Christmas Tree chipping fundraiser a success.
Posters and flyers for the event, advertised as ‘Recycle your tree to help Save a life at Sea’ were distributed to local businesses and garden centres. As last year, a compound was set up on Walmer Green from Boxing Day to enable people to drop off their trees. A collection service manned by two crews of volunteers was also organised locally. A television cameraman from Meridian TV interviewed helm Dan Sinclair and sponsor Tom Ledger, and film footage was also sent to BBC South-East News with both broadcasters showing the event on their early evening programmes.
Monies are still being counted but we seem to be on course to exceed the £2000 raised at last year’s event. In total, 675 trees were chipped with these being used as biofuel at Discovery Park in Sandwich. Speaking after the event, Dan said ’As a charity, the RNLI relies heavily on donations. We cannot thank enough our friends and supporters in Walmer, Deal and the surrounding area for their help with advertising and bringing their trees and making these donations.’
Plans are already being discussed to make the event bigger and better next year.
Notes to editors
Walmer lifeboat station was established in 1856.
It currently operates two inshore lifeboats – a B Class Atlantic 85 Donald McLauchlan and a smaller D Class Duggie Rodbard II.
Crews have received 28 Awards for Gallantry
To find out more about Walmer lifeboat station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/walmer-lifeboat-station
Photo 1 Volunteers assemble before the event
Photo 2 Walmer helm Dan Sinclair's interview with Meridian TV
Photo 3 Sponsor Tom Ledger's TV interview
Photo 4 Leaf Tree Services chipper in action
Photo 5 Volunteers gather after a long damp and windy day
Photo 6 Tree counter
RNLI media contacts
- Chris Winslade, Lifeboat Press Officer, Walmer Lifeboat Station on 01304 374475 or 07906 623037 [email protected]
- ·Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) on 07785 296252, [email protected]
- ·For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789 or [email protected]
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.