Donate now

Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat Week beats the weather and raises £33,000

Lifeboats News Release

One of the most eagerly anticipated events in the summer calendar of Lyme Regis - Lifeboat Week - ended on Saturday (July 29th).

Lifeboat crew who came second in the bathtub race

RNLI/Richard Horobin

Lifeboat crew who came second in the bathtub race.
And despite a soggy start on the first day visitors, local residents and businesses helped to raise a gross sum of £33,000 for the lifesaving RNLI with some donations still to come in.
The packed week of events was organised by the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters together with a great deal of effort from members of the lifeboat crew.
Chairman of the supporters group Ken Lavery said: "This is a magnificent result considering the weather. Our group of volunteers can take great pride in their contributions to a fabulous week. And, of course, we are deeply grateful to those hundreds of people who donated to our charity throughout the week. I have had many people saying how much they enjoyed the week and checking the date of next year's event which will start on July 27th."
The last event on the water was the bathtub race which was won by the local firefighters who came first despite having to answer a call to a small fire duringd the race. Members of their bathtub crew were taken ashore by the harbourmaster's launch to get to the waiting fire engine. The RNLI's bathtub team came second. One casualty of the weather -a low cloud base - was the display by the Red Devils parachute team. But members of the team still visited the town, much to the delight of children and adults alike. A performance by the Eastern Promise belly dancers was also called off because of rain on the first day. Just before the bathtub race 55 children and adults took part in the swimming challenges. For the second year running Pirate Day was a big success, and visits to the lifeboat to meet the crew aboard the vessel moored on the harbour pontoons were also very popular. On a tasty note the produce stall with many delicious items made by lifeboat volunteers raised a record £1,000. And the lifeboat crew sold 550 hot dogs during a barbecue on the harbour slipway.
Lifeboat supporter Ian Marshall and his wife, Ann-Marie on Pirate Day.

RNLI/Richard Horobin

Lifeboat supporter Ian Marshall and his wife Anne-Marie on Pirate Day.

RNLI/Richard Horobin

Firefighters celebrate winning the bathtub race.

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.