Life Fest 200 raises £2,000 for Hunstanton RNLI

Saturday 20 July 2024

A Norfolk pub staged a sell-out concert on 20 July to celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea.

The Very Beautiful South on stage at Life Fest 200, at Snettisham in Norfolk

Tribute band the Very Beautiful South headlined Life Fest 200 at the Queen Victoria at Snettisham, near Hunstanton, to raise funds for Hunstanton RNLI.

The bill for the show also included Jammin' Joe, Chrissie Blake, Neil Reeve and The Scolts.

More than 300 attended the event in the pub's beer garden, with tickets sold out weeks in advance.

Before the headliners took to the stage Jeff Lenton, one of the launch authorities at Hunstanton RNLI, thanked all who had helped put on the event, the crowd who turned out to support it and the performers who came to entertain them.

'This is all just amazing,' he said. 'It costs the RNLI around £200m a year to operate and a lot of that of that comes from people like you and events like this, so thank you so, so much.

'Without you, we simply could not exist.'

Volunteers from the station were in attendance to lend a hand, while Stormy Stan was also paged to help push the boat out behind the bar.

Landlord and landlady Darren and Ann-Marie Wing, who run the 'Queen Vic' have adopted the RNLI as their chosen charity for the year, to mark the 200th anniversary of both the institution and the founding of a lifeboat service at Hunstanton.

The couple, who took on the pub two years ago, expect the gig to raise £2,000 towards the RNLI's lifesaving work.

Ann-Marie said: 'It's their 200th anniversary and to us that's a massive thing, so we just went from there.

'I haven't had to call on the RNLI myself but I do know people who have in the past.'

Dave Taylor, one of the pub's regulars, helped organise the event along with friend and fellow 'Queen Vic' customer Steve Webber.

'We've been doing monthly quiz nights for Hunstanton RNLI,' said Dave. 'I said a band I know might be up for coming and doing a set and it just escalated into what we have here tonight.'

Derek Greening, chair of the Hunstanton and West Norfolk Lifeboat Guild,

said: 'Darren and Ann-Marie have put a lot of effort into this, along with Dave and Steve, all their helpers and of course the performers.

'The RNLI will make good use of the money they've raised and we're thrilled everyone had a great evening.'

Local businesses rallied round to support the event.

Tim Murrel supplied and ran the PA. Haulier Lynn Star provided a trailer for the stage, while Grange Dentists in Snettisham supplied the wristbands, the village's Co-Op store donated water for the helpers and Huws Gray Snettisham supplied high-vis jackets for event staff.

Notes to editors

Hunstanton is one of the RNLI's busiest lifeboat stations, which operates both a fast inshore lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and a search and rescue hovercraft, Hunstanton Flyer.

Like more than 200 lifeboat stations around the coast of the UK and Ireland, its lifesaving work would not be possible without the kindness of those who support the charity which saves lives at sea.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of both the birth of the RNLI and the founding of a lifeboat service at Hunstanton.

RNLI media contacts

For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219, Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641, or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

The Very Beautiful South headlined Life Fest 200 in aid of the RNLI

The Very Beautiful South on stage at Life Fest 200

Singer Neil Reeve on stage at Life Fest 200

Stormy Stan helps push the boat out behind the bar

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, X, TikTok 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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Life Fest 200 raises £2,000 for Hunstanton RNLI

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