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Local school boy goes the extra mile for the RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

Sebastian Greaves aged 8 from Cramlington has been undertaking the Mayday Mile Challenge raising money for the RNLI.

RNLI/Rachel Greaves

Sebastian Greaves meets volunteer crew member Laura Greenwood and

Throughout the month of May, Sebastian has been walking after school around Cramlington and also in Northumberland including up to the Duddo Stones, visiting Castles, Flodden Field and Blyth battery goes to war.

He chose the charity because friends and family sea swim and surf and was also chosen because his great grandad was a lighthouse keeper so keeping people safe at sea is part of his family, so he wants to do his part. The family lived at Souter.

Sebastian walked a total of 62 miles and raised over £150.

When Blyth RNLI found out about Sebastian’s efforts he was invited to come down the lifeboat station to meet the volunteer crew and see the lifeboats up close.

He was presented with a Thank You card from the crew by Lifeboat Operations Manager Terry Healy.

Sebastian said, ‘I can't join them yet but my card says I really helped save lives, so I helped saved someone! I definitely want to train and be part of the crew when I'm older.'

Commenting on the visit to the lifeboat station, Sebastian’s mother Rachel said; ‘I think he really likes the sat nav type bit. He thinks he would be good controlling the little mouse thing.’

Terry Healy said; ‘It was our pleasure to invite Sebastian down to the lifeboat station and we wanted to thank him for choosing the RNLI and completing his Mayday Mile Challenge. It’s donations like Sebastian’s that enable us to continue to be able to save lives at sea.’

Should you wish to donate please click on the link below

RNLI - Rachel Greaves


RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Robin Palmer, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07801 290638 or [email protected] or Clare Hopps, Regional Media Officer on 07824 518641 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

RNLI/Robin Palmer

Sebastian takes the helm on the station's B class lifeboat

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.