
Girvan RNLI to float in liferaft for 200hrs challenge
Lifeboat crews to float in liferaft for 8 days and 8 hours in unique challenge
To commemorate the bicentenary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Girvan RNLI are set to float in a liferaft for 200 hours, which works out at 8 days and 8hrs.
The 200hr float challenge which started 24th July 2024 at 10:24am will carry on for 8 days and 8 hours nonstop, the challenge is that the liferaft is constantly manned by our team and at all times 2 are in the liferaft.
Girvan Lifeboat’s treasurer and head of team fundraising team ad well as a crewmember John Tait said of the challenge, “we wanted to do something different, unique that would tie in with the 200 years of the RNLI, Starting on 24/7/24 we will finish on 1/8/24 @ 18:24. (1824 being the year the RNLI was founded) with our crew all having their own jobs and life’s outside of the station, filling all the time slots was always going to be difficult with a limited number of crew, thankfully we have a wider support team in terms of volunteers, fundraising team and families who have all stepped up to help us in this challenge, we are grateful also to Ocean Safety who have supplied us with the raft for this challenge.”
Girvan’s press officer Craig Sommerville added, the support from the local community has been overwhelming so far, with continuous donations coming in, local companies sponsoring the event, and other local business supplying meals and drinks for the liferaft occupants every day the challenge is ongoing, we cannot thank the community enough, the liferaft is manned 24hrs a day and we encourage people to come down and support our crew and maybe pop some change in our collection buckets.
The 200hr challenge preceeds Our Harbour Gala event on Sunday 4th August,12-4pm this is the biggest fundraiser in our yearly calendar, which is always a crowd puller, with lots for all the family, from lifeboat demos, Stalls, Funfair fair rides, music, entertainment and much more
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.