
Community comes together for Christmas carols at Cullercoats RNLI
Cullercoats RNLI welcomed a record number of people from the local area to their annual carol service, held at the lifeboat station on Monday 16 December.
Hosted each December as a gesture of thanks for the support received from the community throughout the year, the station was overwhelmed by the turnout, with hundreds of carollers wrapping up warm to join the crew and Salvation Army band in classics such as O Come All Ye Faithful, finishing with a moving rendition of Silent Night.
Mince pies and mulled wine were then offered inside the boathouse and a guest appearance was even made by local opera singing couple Andri and Ruth who delivered a haunting version of seafaring hymn ‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save’.
Whilst donations to the lifeboat station were gratefully accepted, Cullercoats RNLI's Lifeboat Operations Manager Kay Heslop was keen to highlight this as an opportunity for the Cullercoats crew and volunteers to engage with the community. Kay said: Our volunteers worked hard to prepare for the event so it was fantastic to see all the laughter, conversations and singing. Our community provides crucial support in allowing us to continue our lifesaving work at sea so it was a joy to be able to spend some festive time together, along with our friends from the Salvation Army.’
The RNLI volunteers also took the decision to use the gathering as an opportunity to give back to the community through the collection of grocery items, for these to be donated to a local foodbank. In response to the request promoted through social media, more than 11 supermarket trolleys were filled with goods that were handed to The Bay foodbank.
The evening also marked the official opening of the lifeboat station’s shop, which has undergone refurbishment over recent months. For one night only, the shop provided an opportunity to stock up on RNLI gifts, with it then closing for the remainder of the winter and due to reopen in spring.
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information, please contact Sarah Whitelaw, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [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.