
Scottish RNLI volunteers take to the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh
44 RNLI volunteers took to the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh on Thursday 10 October to raise vital funds for the charity as it marked 132 years since the world’s first ever recorded street collection.
In the RNLI’s 200th year, on Thursday 10 October, the charity marked 132 years since the world’s first recorded street collection, which took place in Manchester in 1891, by hosting street collections across the UK, including in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
On 10 December 1886, 27 lifeboatmen from Southport and St Annes lost their lives off the Lancashire coast while trying to rescue sailors from the stricken vessel Mexico. The tragedy, which remains the worst in the RNLI’s 200-year history, rallied an impassioned nation together.
A public appeal was launched to help the families left behind, which included 16 widows and 50 fatherless children. And in aid of the appeal, a small group of fundraisers organised the world’s first recorded street collection.
In Edinburgh, RNLI volunteers took to the streets, including George Street, St Andrew’s Square and outside Waverley station, as well as in Glasgow in Enoch Shopping Centre and on Buchanan Street to raise vital funds to support the RNLI’s lifesaving work.
Erin Ritchie, Senior Community Manager for the RNLI in Scotland, says: ‘We would like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers for donating their time today to raise money for the RNLI, as well as to everyone who supported us on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow to mark this momentous occasion. Your generous donations will help the RNLI to continue to save lives at sea for another 200 years.’
RNLI media contacts
Natasha Rushby, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Tom McGuire, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland, 00353 87 476 4436, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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.
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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.