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Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club raise £9,000 for Southend-on-Sea RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

A Valentines Day visit to Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat station for Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club members who raised an incredible £9,000 for the charity. Southend RNLI were the tennis clubs chosen charity for 2022 - 2023. Former ladies captain Mandy Price presented the cheque to Southend-on-Sea RNLI

Former Ladies Captain Mandy Price presents £9,000 cheque to Southend RNLI Chair Nick Elmore in front of rescue hovercraft

RNLI/Nigel Gilchrist

Former Ladies Captain Mandy Price presents £9,000 cheque to Southend RNLI Chair Nick Elmore

Members of Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club were treated to a detailed guided tour of Southend RNLI inshore station and boathouse, Southend RNLI volunteers then held a demonstration launch of the charity’s Hovercraft H004 Vera Ravine. Representing the tennis club were former Ladies Captain Mandy Price, Men’s Captain David Gadd, Treasurer Terry Harding, Judith Harding and Jennifer Ripton, new Ladies Captain from 2024.

Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club held fundraising tennis tournaments and events including a Gin tasting, poker night plus various raffles, with Judith Harding being their top raffle ticket seller. Mandy Price was Ladies Captain from 2022 to 2023. During her period as captain Mandy organised all the fundraising together with the Men's Captain David Gadd.

Former Ladies Captain Mandy Price said: ‘It's been such a pleasure to fundraise for Southend RNLI during my Captaincy at TBLTC and I'm extremely grateful to our members who have been so supportive and generous. I chose Southend RNLI for our Charity as several friends are volunteer crew, plus as the Club is based on the seafront, it felt like an appropriate and deserving cause. A BIG thank you to Southend RNLI for showing us around. We really appreciate how much hard work and dedication goes into operating the Lifeboats and how many lives are saved as a result’.

Southend-on-Sea RNLI Chair Nick Elmore said: ‘On behalf of Southend Lifeboat, we would like to thank Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club for there supreme effort in raising funds through its membership during 2023. Over the years they have been great supporters of our work in saving lives at Southend. It was great to meet members of the committee today and showing them first hand the life saving equipment they are helping to fund’.

Southend-on-Sea RNLI volunteers look forward to the tennis club returning for a tour of the offshore station soon.

Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station tours can be booked at: [email protected]

Notes to editors

  • Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station has been operating since 1879. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://southendlifeboat.org/
  • Photo credits Southend RNLI

RNLI media contacts

  • For more information please contact: Nigel Gilchrist, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Southend-on-Sea RNLI, 07765875300 or [email protected],
  • Beth Robson | RNLI Regional Communications Manager – North, East and South East, 07977728294 or email: [email protected],
  • For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

RNLI online

For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.

RNLI at 200

On 4 March 2024, the RNLI celebrates 200 years of saving lives at sea – thanks to volunteers giving their time to save others, all funded by voluntary public donations. Throughout its 200th anniversary year, the charity is running events and activities to commemorate its history, celebrate the lifesaving service it provides today, and inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters. For more information visit RNLI.org/200.

H004 Vera Ravine rescue Hovercraft display flight for the tennis club members

RNLI/Nigel Gilchrist

H004 Vera Ravine rescue Hovercraft display for the tennis club members
Former Ladies Captain Mandy and Men's Captain David standing with Southend-on-Sea rescue Hovercraft H004 Vera Ravine

RNLI/Nigel Gilchrist

Former Ladies Captain Mandy and Men's Captain David with H004 Vera Ravine

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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