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Seven-year-old supporter's 40-mile trek raised almost £3,000 for Hunstanton RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

A seven-year-old supporter who hopes to one day join a Norfolk lifeboat crew raised almost £3,000 for the charity that saves lives at sea.

RNLI/Chris Bishop

Johnathon shakes hands with members of the Hunstanton crew, who lived up to thank him for raising almost £3,000 for the RNLI
Johnathon Jarvis walked the 40 miles from his home at Upwell, near Downham Market in Norfolk, to Hunstanton lifeboat station with his dad Lee and mum Kayleigh.

He completed his four-day trek on 2 June, after the family braved heavy rain and gales along the way.

On Sunday, 30 June, the Hunstanton crew were on hand to welcome Johnathon back, as he presented a cheque for £2,922.02 to the station.

Water Safety Lead Kate Craven presented him with a special framed certificate in recognition of his achievement.

'We've been saving lives for 200 years and we couldn't carry on doing it without people like you,' said Kate.

She told Johnathon, who hopes to one day join the RNLI: 'You've got 11 more years and then you can do some of the other stuff we do, like saving lives.'

Asked what had inspired his impressive fundraising effort, the young supporter said: 'I like the yellow wellies, they drive boats and hovercraft and they save lives.'

Johnathon shook hands with volunteer crew members, who lined up to thank him for his efforts.

Proud mum Kayleigh said her son had originally planned to take things a little easier next year, with a coffee morning in aid of the RNLI.

But she added he has also mentioned taking on another trek, this time from Happisburgh lifeboat station, where his uncle Mark is a deputy launch authority, to Hunstanton - a distance of just over 50 miles along the Norfolk coast.

Notes to editors

More images from Johnathon's arrival at Hunstanton on 2 June can be downloaded here.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of both the founding of a lifeboat service at Hunstanton and the birth of the RNLI, whose work would not be possible without donations from its supporters.

The station operates both an Atlantic 85 fast inshore lifeboat, Spirit of West Norfolk and the search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer.

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.

RNLI/Chris Bishop

From left, front: Charlie Craven, Johnathon Jarvis, George Craven and Henry Craven, with the cheque for £2,922.02 which Johnathon presented to the Hunstanton crew

RNLI/Chris Bishop

Water Safety Lead Kate Craven presents Johnathon with a special certificate of thanks for his efforts

RNLI/Chris Bishop

Seven-year-old RNLI supporter Johnathon Jarvis with his dad Lee and mum Kayleigh

RNLI/Chris Bishop

High fives from Stormy Stan, as Johnathon and his family arrived at Hunstanton, with members of the lifeboat crew who joined him for the final stage of his 40-mile walk

RNLI/Chris Bishop

Johnathon arrives at Hunstanton RNLI with family and lifeboat crew members, after completing his 40-mile walk for the RNLI

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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