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Successful Flag Week fundraiser at RNLI Skegness raises £5,700

Lifeboats News Release

RNLI Skegness celebrated a successful Flag Week, held from Monday 24 July to Sunday 30 July.

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Skegness Coastguard and RNLI Lifeboat at Flag Day

The annual week-long event started with the fundraising team being stationed at the Hildreds Centre in Skegness, engaging with the public and raising much-needed funds for the lifeboat station. Over the six days, the fantastic fundraisers raised £2,305.

On Saturday 29 July, Skegness’ volunteer crew members visited various local pubs and clubs, raising over £1,600 in a single evening. Notable contributions came from Blue Anchor's Club Tropicana customers and RNLI national corporate partner Haven Skegness, which raised £453 and £163, respectively.

The week-long celebration culminated in the annual Flag Day 2023, hosted at the boathouse, featuring a variety of stalls, including the popular Water and Wine and Hook a Duck. Characters from local holiday parks Fantasy Island, Blue Anchor Superstars, and Haven Skegness also visited, adding to the exciting atmosphere.

Mairi Perry, Chair of the Fundraising Branch, expressed her pride and satisfaction in the team's hard work, saying, ‘We are extremely proud of our fundraisers' efforts this week. It's wonderful to see so many people interact with the station and show their support.’

The event showcased the joint efforts of the RNLI, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Skegness Coastguard Rescue Teams, and Lincolnshire Police, with various partner agencies in attendance with their emergency vehicles. These cooperative efforts in our work enable Skegness RNLI Lifeboat Station to continue to deliver world-class search and rescue services along the East Coast.

The event was supported by various local businesses, including Skegness Pleasure Beach, Skegness Aquarium, Club Tropicana, Lucky Strikes Arcade, Olivia’s Skegness, Fantasy Island, Skegness Pier, Big Top Show Bar, Wolfies Wine Bar as well as Haven Skegness. Skegness RNLI expresses its thanks to all of these businesses who continue to support the station.

Demonstration launches of the Skegness lifeboats, Shannon class all-weather lifeboat and D class inshore lifeboat, were conducted from 3pm. They were joined by the Coastguard Helicopter 912 and the Skegness Lifeguards for various exercise drills surrounding casualty extraction, often referred to as medivacs.

‘Events like our annual Flag Week are crucial for our lifeboat station, not just as a fundraising opportunity but as a platform to promote sea safety awareness,’ commented Station Coxswain Craig Willard. ‘It's heartening to see both locals and visitors in Skegness engage with us, showing keen interest in our work and the safety measures we advocate. Thank you to all of the community who have given us prizes and donations in preparation for our event.’

The total amount raised for the Skegness Lifeboat Station during Flag Week totalled £5,700 which is a fantastic total and will be used to continue our lifesaving work along the Lincolnshire coast. The RNLI Skegness thanks everyone who contributed to the success of this year's Flag Week.

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Mairi Perry, Chair of Fundraising Branch

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Crew members Craig and Jaiden on ILB

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Skegness Fire Station at Flag Day

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Skegness crew at Club Tropicana

RNLI/Brad Johnson

Skegness crew at Flag Day

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.

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